Just as in my last blog story, I'm at Brooklands. It's the same day, in fact, and the same subject (Concorde), but from a different angle. The angle is: what happens next in commercial supersonic flight?
From here...?
...to here?
Former Concorde pilot Chris Orlebar, author of the definitive book about that iconic Franco-British aeroplane "The Concorde Story", was at Brooklands to launch the seventh edition of this very popular, thoroughly readable account. And this time it contains Orlebar's speculation about a successor. He doesn't pretend to know for sure, but years spent assembling information about this superspeed phenomenon may have provided him with as good a perspective as anybody alive can have of what's likely to come next.
So Chris invited the brilliant engineering mind behind the conception you've just seen (above) to speak at the event: Alan Bond of Reaction Engines Ltd. He's Chris' best bet for the future. Read about the amazing single-stage-to-orbit, quiet, efficient propulsive technology in the Concorde Story (Osprey Publishing).
Anyway, here's Chris, flanked by all the Concorde flight crew that he could find for the occasion, all of whom signed this copy of the book...
Worth a few quid on eBay?
Well here's my copy...
on April 12, 2011 11:58 PM | Reply
You are fortunate indeed, David, to have that signed edition.
I'd love to chat with Mr. Alan Bond about his supersonic design, and how a one-engine-out approach and landing might be accomplished.
on April 14, 2011 4:49 AM | Reply
I'm curious why the concept airplane doesn't apply the area rule. I imagine it would throw a fair amount of performance away.
on June 15, 2011 2:07 AM | Reply
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it's frankly incredible to see so many engineers and "experts" that STILL believe that an SSTO can REALLY work and reach the orbit (a thing NEVER happened before!) and (also) with a payload aboard and, as a consequence, it's incredible to see so many "experts" journalists and bloggers who REALLY believe tha this Flash Gordon vehicle can ever fly in space!
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