Consuming Concorde

When the Concorde touches down in London this October to complete its last scheduled transatlantic flight, it will mark the end of an era. To its crews, to the happy few who could afford a ticket (a round trip averaged ten thousand dollars), and to sympathetic observers, the end of scheduled commercial supersonic flight will be a shameful step backward. This attitude reflects a determinist bent in the popular view of technology that remains at its most passionate when it comes to aeronautics. The Concorde's influence was immense and complex, beginning with its design and continuing with its operation as a tool of leisure. The supersonic culture associated with it will linger on, much as that associated with dirigibles seven decades ago has done

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