Concorde
Sir: Re the article in the February 10 issue, by Oliver Stewart entitled 'One More Sonic Boom ': I again assert that puffed out cheek towards America is no substitute for Concorde facts!
According to my info the sonic boom of the Concorde prohihits use of its maximum available speed over populated areas anywhere! To this restriction add: (2) Grossly inflated cost; (3) Short Range maximum, ie Paris to NY. (4) Small capacity of 100 passengers. This total seriou..y Concorde's salient features, and with the result commercial air lines here allowed to lapse the purchase options they'd taken earlier in the development history of the Concorde. Not being subsidised against a foreseeable no profit position their step seems logical.
The fantastic monetary com mitments here involved must therefore be met, in the main or maybe in entirety, by BOAC and Air France and their respective guaranteeing Nations; a legacy for the tax payers of to awaken to some soon day!
The wake vortex Mr Stewart alleges to be the exclusive property of wide body ships is sizable also with the Concorde, andin proportion to its weight and wing loading! (Such a position should not have been taken!) William C. Anthony Clermont, Florida 32711, USA
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