Listen To The Sonic Boom Of The Concorde At 60,000 Feet
— Updated on 18 June 2020

Listen To The Sonic Boom Of The Concorde At 60,000 Feet

— Updated on 18 June 2020
John McMahon
WORDS BY
John McMahon

The Concorde was quite possibly the aviation world’s most impressive creation, gracing our skies for a limited time before meeting its untimely demise almost two decades ago.

The aeroplane’s most notable feature – a speed of Mach 2 that could cut trans-Atlantic journeys in half – was also its kryptonite. Meaning it severely limited its operations worldwide and therefore its financial longevity as an aviation programme.

Powered by four after-burning jet engines (yes – the same tech used by fighter jets and B-1 Bombers) the Concorde’s cruising speed of 2,170 km/h meant that the aircraft left an incredibly loud sonic boom in its wake. Slicing through the speed of sound tends to do that.

Such a sound was rarely, if ever, heard by anyone given international regulations restricting the Concorde from flying at such a speed over land. Even at 60,000 feet up, the sound you’re about to hear in the video below is absolutely deafening. And bear in mind this was recorded on a 1990s Nokia potato.

The takeoff, which is also incredibly loud, preambles the sonic boom in the video and lends a strong case to the complaints from residents who lived within proximity of airports from which the Concorde would fly.

Watch the video below (around the 53-second mark for the money shot), and then get yourself up to speed with five awesome facts about the Concorde you probably never knew.

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John McMahon
WORDS by
John McMahon is a founding member of the Boss Hunting team who honed his craft by managing content across website and social. Now, he's the publication's General Manager and specialises in bringing brands to life on the platform.

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