101 - G-AXDN
| Current registration | G-AXDN |
|---|---|
| Production Model Number | UK Pre-Production model |
| Maiden Flight | 17th December 1971 : Filton , England - 1st flight of UK Pre Production prototype Concorde |
| Registration history | 16th April1969 First Registered as G-AXDN to UK Ministry of Technology Re-registered as G-AXDN to Ministry of Aviation Supply on 19th Feb 1971 Re-registered as G-AXDN on delivery to Duxford Aviation Society on 20th August 1977 De-registered on 10th November 1986 by the CAA |
| Total Flights | 273 Flights |
| Supersonic Flights | 168 Flights |
| Total Flight Hours | 574 Hrs 49 mins |
| Total Block Hours | 632 Hrs 56 mins |
| Total Supersonic Hours | 217 Hrs @ Mach1+ and 170 Hrs @ Mach2+ |
| Top Speed reached | Mach 2.23 (1450Mph, 2333Kph) |
| Maxiumum Height reached | 63700Ft (over 12 miles high) |
| Current Usage | Preserved at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK under the ownership of the Duxford Aviation Society. |
Notes
Although known to many as 01, the correct designation for the aircraft is 101. Initially designated 01 the serial number was changed
to be a 3 digit number as the 2 digit number was not easily handled by computer systems of the time.
The fact that the Model number
for the production aircraft were to be 100 (basic model),101 (French production) and 102 (UK production) were also possibly a factor
why many though and still think of the aircraft simply as 01
The gestation period of the aircraft was so long that almost inevitably its design and indeed its specification changed after the Prototype design had become frozen. Hence the Pre-Production aircraft had a different wing plan form, more fuel, a higher engine standard, a "glass" visor rather than metal and a different intake system.
In fact the intake system on the British Pre-Production aircraft was even different again coming out very close to the final standard. It would not be true to say that the Pre-Production aircraft where superfluous but they were in a sense a luxury although probably necessary to keep the momentum of the project going. The British Pre-Production aircraft did about 600 hours and the French some more but in truth their contribution to the whole exercise turned out to be rather less than it was first intended.
Info By Peter Baker, BAC Concorde Flight Test Pilot