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Diagram showing the two primary operating modes of the Olympus engine as fitted to Concorde. The upper illustrates the aircraft in low-speed flight, while the lower is the configuration for supersonic cruise. In both cases the ramps control the entry of air to the engines. BBA Collection

One of the extra escape routes in the prototype Concorde was this hatch at the rear of the cabin. This feature would have been incorporated in production machines as an air-stair, had the French medium-range design gone ahead. BBA Collection

With anti-FOD air intake guards in place. Concorde 002 has its wheels and tyres inspected. The leg fairing is fixed to the leg and thus moves with it. This view also shows the torque links between the main casting and the bogie. J.A. Todd Collection via Lee Howard

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DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

DATA COMPARISON: PROTOTYPE AND PRODUCTION AIRCRAFT

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PROTOTYPE This diagram illustrates some of the changes between the prototype and the production versions of Concorde. There would be only one final change to the production machine, an extended tail-cone. BBA Collection

LENGTH FUEL SEATING

184' 6" 174,000 LBS 118 (34" PITCH)

326,000 LBS T.O.wEIGHT A.P.S.WEIGHT 136,625 LBS VOLUMETRIC 23,000 LBS PAYLOAD

prototype 001, which was flown from Toulouse to the Musee de l'Air at Le Bourget by Turcat on 19 October 1973. During its short but significant career, the Concorde had flown just in excess of 8 12hr in 97 test flights. Within this sequence 254hr had been spent at Mach I or over. The second aircraft, prototype 002, was retired to the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton, where it is displayed alongside the BAC 221, WG744. Throughout its career 002 had achieved 836 test flight hours, during which 438 sorties were flown of which 173 were spent in the supersonic regime. During its short career Concorde 002 suffered only one real scare in trials flying. This occurred in August 1974 when a fault developed with the left main undercarriage supports which had become detached from the main structure. Fortunately for both crew and aircraft, the undercarriage emergency blowdown system worked as advertised and thus the crew were able to execute a safe but difficult landing. Post-flight investigation of the mounting failure would lead to modifications being made to the undercarriage mountings on both prototypes and they were incorporated from the outset in the preproduction and production machines.

193' 190,000 LBS 132 (34" PITCH) 367,000 LBS 159,625 LBS 28,000 LBS

Enter the Preproduction Models After the retirement of both prototypes the greater part of the types' trials work was shouldered by the preproduction Concordes 01 and 02. Their first task was to investigate a reported thrust drag discrepancy which had been noted on the prototypes and had recurred on both preproduction machines. Careful redesign by both the ailframe and engine manufacturers eventually resolved this deficiency. The first airframe to have these changes appl ied was Concorde 02 which made its maiden flight on 10 January 1973, piloted by Brian Trubshaw and crew. The main changes to the aitframe were applied to the wing, where the camber and the leading edge droop were altered, and the fuselage was lengthened by 11ft (JAm) by the fitting of an extended tail-cone. RollsRoyce and SNECMA had also made some changes to the Olympus reheat/ thrust augmentation system, mainly concentrated on the secondary nozzle. At the end of the first sequence of test flights further modifications were necessary since the behaviour of the wings flexing in flight needed to be recalculated because the earlier improvements had

44

not completely removed the thrust drag discrepancy. Curing this problem required that the wingtip be redesigned, which, in turn, improved the behaviour of the wing. While the structural changes were being made, the opportunity to upgrade the engine management system was taken and the nacelles were further strengthened to protect the airframe from damage should there be a powerplant failure. These modifications were incorporated into the production Concordes from the outset, which would, in turn, allow for an extension of the type's performance limitations. The primary change was an increase in the permissible takeoff weight from 400,000 to 408,0001b (182,000-185,500kg) and the available fuel was increased by 3,3001b (l,500kg). Pelformance would also be improved as the subsonic cruise figure was increased from 0.93 to 0.95, which reduced total fuel consumption by 1.3 per cent. While BAC were concentrating on the development and construction of the Concorde ailframe, their engine partners, RollsRoyce, were applying themselves to bringing the Olympus engine up to speed. Originally developed by Bristol Engines at Filton, the Olympus made its first flight in

a L-anberra bomber testbed during 1952. In its original form the engine was rated at 11,0001b (49kN) dry thrust, although a series of steps saw the final unreheated version, the Mk.30101 ECU fitted in the Vulcan B.2 bomber, running at an output of 20,0001b (89kN). It was the development potential of this robust engine for usc in the TSR2 strike aircraft that led to its selection for Concorde. The TSR2 engine, rhe Olympus Mk.22R was rated at 30,61 Olb (136kN) dry thrust and 33,0001b (l47kN) reheated. Although this outstanding aircraft was cancelled through alleged extensive cost overruns and governmental decision, the principle of the reheated Olympus engine had been successfully established. Given this success, it was no surprise that the company chose this engine for Concorde. Bristol, later Rolls-Royce, initially constructed some Olympus 22R and 301 powerplants for use in full-scale development tests, these being followed by the Olympus 593 engines. Once the 593 had undertaken its full development programme, both companies were required to supply engines, jet pipes, convergent-divergent nozzles plus all the required spares and tools. At the beginning of the Concorde programme the powerplant project leader, Bristol Engines, were joined by the French manufacturer SNECMA. This company was given the responsibility for the design and development of the thrust augmentation or reheat system and the variable nozzle system. While SNECMA were concentrating on the extras, Bristol Engines were concentrating on redesigning the Olympus engines to withstand higher operating temperatures and an increased thrust output. The major change was to the compressor stage, where a stage was removed from the high pressure fan wh ile another was added to the low

pressure stage. This would allow the pressure ratio to remain at 12: I but increase the mass air flow into the engine. Other modifications were made to the powerplant cooling layout, which were needed to compensate for the increased operating temperature. A II these modifications resulted in the appearance of the Olympus 593 D, which was intended as the development standard engine. Only two of these powerplants were constructed for ground testing, the first would have a thrust output rated at 28,1001b (l25kN) while the second engine

was rated with a slightly higher thrust output. When Concorde underwent its airframe redesign a similar exercise was undertaken by Bristol Engines which resulted in the appearance of the Olympus 593B, dimensionally slightly larger all round. This increase in size led to an extra gain in dry thrust output which was increased to 32,0001b (142kN), and thrust augmentation ourput with limired rehetruclllres Department 49 Reno Aeronautical 181 Rockwell 140

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