Registered G-AXDN to the UK Ministry of Technology.
1971 - Dec 17
Maiden flight from Filton, Bristol to nearby RAF Fairford. The pilot was BAC’s chief test pilot Brian Trubshaw with co-Pilot John Cochrane. The pre-production aircraft were used to refine Concorde’s design and bring it closer to the configuration needed for commercial service. Tasks included engine development, wet runway taxi trials, hot and cold altitude trials and the testing of many new systems and components such as thrust reversers, carbon brakes and a redesigned nose section with better pilot visibility.
1972 - Feb 12
G-AXDN flies at Mach 1 for the first time.
1972 - Aug 10
A modification programme starts that includes the fitting of new Olympus 593 Mk 602 production standard engines.
1974 - Jan 8
G-AXDN flies to Tangier for engine performance trials.
1974 - Mar 26
A visit to the French test centre at Toulouse to undergo wet runway taxiing trials.
1974 - Sep
The aircraft takes part in the Farnborough Air Show.
1974 - Nov 7
G-AXDN flies from Fairford to Bangor, Maine USA and in the process sets a new record time for an East to West Atlantic crossing by a commercial aircraft of 2 hours 56 minutes. This was the first leg of a trip to Moses Lake in Washington where the aircraft would undergo de-icing trials. The flight from Bangor to Moses Lake takes 4 hours 43 minutes and sets new record for an East to West crossing of the USA.
1975 - Feb 26
The aircraft flies to Nairobi for tropical icing trials.
1975 - May 15
G-AXDN finishes its development work and is put into storage at Fairford.
1977 - Aug 20
The aircraft is delivered to Duxford Air Museum where it would be put on public display.
Final Resting Place
G-AXDN is kept on display at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. It is open for public viewing, for more information visit the web site at duxford.iwm.org.uk
