The following is a concise summary of the text:
The text is about the history and fate of the Concorde, the world's first and only supersonic passenger jet. It explains how the Concorde was developed by Britain and France in the 1960s, how it could fly at twice the speed of sound and cross the Atlantic Ocean in half the time, how it became a symbol of luxury and prestige for celebrities and politicians, and how it had an impeccable safety record for more than 25 years. It also describes how the Concorde's reputation was shattered by a tragic plane crash in 2000, which killed all 109 people on board, and how the plane was retired in 2003 due to various factors such as high costs, low demand, environmental impact, and noise pollution. It concludes by mentioning that a new startup called Boom is working on bringing back supersonic flights by 2029, with more sustainable and efficient technology.
Hello, this is Copilot. I can help you extract the key facts out of this text. Here are some facts I found:
1. Air France flight 4590 was a supersonic Concorde plane that crashed near Paris on 25th July 2000, killing all 109 people on board and four people on the ground.
2. The crash was caused by a metal strip left on the runway by a previous plane, which punctured the tyre of the Concorde and sent debris into the fuel tank, igniting a fire.
3. Concorde was the world's first and only commercially flying supersonic aircraft, which could travel at twice the speed of sound and cross the Atlantic Ocean in half the time of normal planes.
4. Concorde was a joint project between Britain and France, signed in 1962, and had its first successful flight in 1969.
5. Concorde had a unique nose that could be adjusted for better visibility and aerodynamics, and generated a sonic boom when it breached the sound barrier.
6. Concorde was considered a luxury and a status symbol, as it cost $12,000 for a round-trip ticket between Paris and New York, and served caviar and champagne to its passengers.
7. Concorde had an amazing safety record until the 2000 crash, which ruined its reputation and led to its temporary retirement.
8. Concorde was reintroduced in 2001, but faced several challenges such as low demand, high fuel consumption, environmental damage, noise complaints, and high maintenance costs.
9. Concorde was permanently shut down in 2003, after its last commercial flight on 24th October.
10. Concorde remains the fastest passenger jet in history, and no supersonic commercial flights exist today, but a startup called Boom is developing a new supersonic aircraft called Overture, which is expected to fly in 2029.