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Last Days of the Concorde: The Crash of Flight 4590 and the End of Supersonic Passenger Travel (Air Disasters) Hardcover – September 25, 2018

by Samme Chittum (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 132 ratings
Editors' pick Best Nonfiction
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The gripping true tale of a devastating plane crash, the investigation into its causes, and the race to prevent similar disasters in the future.

On July 25, 2000, a Concorde, the world's fastest passenger plane, was taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris when it suddenly burst into flames. An airliner capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, the Concorde had completed 25 years of successful flights, whisking wealthy passengers--from diplomats to rock stars to corporate titans--between continents on brief and glamorous flights. Yet on this fateful day, the chartered Concorde jet, en route to America, crashed and killed all 109 passengers and crew onboard and four people on the ground. Urgent questions immediately arose as investigators scrambled to discover what had gone wrong. What caused the fire? Could it have been prevented? And, most urgently, was the Concorde safe to fly? Last Days of the Concorde addresses these issues and many more, offering a fascinating insider's look at the dramatic disaster, the hunt for clues, and the systemic overhauls that followed the crash.
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  1. Book 3 of 3
    Air Disasters
  2. Print length
    272 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Smithsonian Books
  5. Publication date
    September 25, 2018
  6. Dimensions
    6.3 x 0.87 x 9.28 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1588346293
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1588346292
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Editorial Reviews

Review

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"[Last Days of the Concorde] proves enlightening about the post-accident investigative process, showing “how happenstance and entropy can conspire to wreak havoc.” Chittum has a gift for making the complex details easily understandable."

"Aviation may well be the most unforgiving of man’s activities. Yet rarely does just one failure or misjudgment cause an airplane to crash; instead it is a chain of events, any link of which might have prevented the disaster. The crash of a supersonic Concorde in France just after takeoff from Charles de Gaulle in Paris on July 25, 2000, is the subject of this excellent book by experienced reporter Samme Chittum, who has a wonderful knack for lucidly explaining tech for the uninitiated. Highly recommended for all aviation professionals and everyone fascinated by man’s reach for the sky." —Stephen Coonts, author of Flight of the Intruder and The Armageddon File

"A tragic crash during takeoff from Paris marked the beginning of the end for the Concorde. Chittum provides a compelling and detailed account of the crash, the ensuing investigation, and what was behind the decision to retire a majestic aircraft that was ahead of its time."—Joe Anselmo, Editor-in-Chief, Aviation Week

About the Author

SAMME CHITTUM is a narrative journalist and Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship recipient who explores the intersection of current events and history. Her work has been published in the New York Times, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, and the Village Voice. She is also the author of the first two books in the Smithsonian Air Disasters series, The Flight 981 Disaster and Southern Storm.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Smithsonian Books (September 25, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1588346293
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1588346292
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 0.87 x 9.28 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 132 ratings

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Samme Chittum

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
132 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well written and interesting, with one review noting it's an excellent account for aerospace buffs.

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5 customers mention "Interest"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging, with one customer noting it is an excellent account for aerospace buffs, while another describes it as a special book about a special airplane.

"...Recommended for all aviation buffs." Read more

"Very good and interesting book. I knew about this but not the details. This book is basically everything about the Concorde and well written." Read more

"Special book about a special airplane and some very unlucky people...." Read more

"There’s some interesting information in this book but it’s riddled with technical, historical and factual inaccuracies..." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book.

"...This book is basically everything about the Concorde and well written." Read more

"Well done, clear writing, not overly technical. I really enjoyed it." Read more

"This is clear and concise discussion of the one Concorde accident. This also offers some possible future hope for return to supersonic travel...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Mike Simmons
    5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful bird whose wings were clipped prematurely
    Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    As an aviation junkie i have always been fascinated by the Concorde. I was a young engineer when the competition between Aerospatiale, Boeing and the Russkies was underway. I had always hoped to one day fly in the Concorde but alas that never happened. This book was a detailed analysis of the creation of the White Bird and it's untimely and tragic demise. Recommended for all aviation buffs.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • All American Reviews
    4.0 out of 5 stars An Obituary for Supersonic Air Travel
    Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2018
    Amazon Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
    Last Days of the Concorde takes an in-depth look at the crash of Flight 4590 and ultimately the mothballing of the entire Concorde fleet of airliners. The story of the Concorde is as complicated as the airplane itself was. A joint venture between the U.K. and French governments helped to launch the world's first, and so far only, supersonic commercial airliner. Decades in the making, it was one of the most complex and powerful aircraft ever built. It shuttled the rich and famous across the Atlantic in a fraction of the time that other airlines took and lifted passengers closer to the edge of space than they had ever been able to go. Cruising at Mach 2+ at an altitude of around 58,000 feet, it was the world's fastest luxury liner.

    The Concorde's demise began with the crash of Flight 4590. Taking off from Paris, it was the first and only Concorde flight to crash, killing all passengers and crew on board. It ended the Concorde's nearly spotless safety record, having flown for over 20 years without a single fatality. The crash was just the beginning of the aircraft's downfall though. The aging fleet, split between Air France and British Airways, was by far the most complicated and expensive commercial aircraft ever to take to the skies. Designed prior to the oil crisis of the 1970's it used several times as much fuel as other airliners and cost a small fortune each day to operate. As a result, ticket prices became outrageously expensive and the airliner began to lose popularity in its later years. Ultimately, poor economics led to its downfall more than the crash that this book largely concentrates on, which is why after nearly 20 years no other aircraft manufacturer has followed in the Concorde's footsteps and delivered Supersonic travel to the public.

    The book delivers many detailed accounts of the crash of Flight 4590 and its subsequent investigation. It covers bits and pieces of the legendary airliner's history without delving too deep into its origin and early years. The story of the investigation and eventual demise of the Concorde is quite a fascinating story that has a lot more twists and turns than you might imagine. Even those who have researched the subject quite extensively will find some interesting new pieces of information here. There are a lot of behind the scenes factoids that you won't likely find anywhere else.

    About the only critique I have of this book is its sometimes painfully detailed descriptions of places and things that would be much easier explained with a simple photo or drawing. Sometimes, a picture actually is worth a thousand words. It would also have been nice to see some additional photos of the fleet and its various incarnations. Other than that, it was a pleasure to read.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Bo Friday
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very good and interesting read.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Very good and interesting book. I knew about this but not the details. This book is basically everything about the Concorde and well written.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Thomas G
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is clear and concise discussion of the one Concorde accident. This also offers some possible future hope for return to supersonic travel. Excellent account for aerospace buffs.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I liked the explanations offered as part of the accident analysis. Also like how the author connected the explanations to the account.
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  • Phil
    5.0 out of 5 stars Special airplane
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Special book about a special airplane and some very unlucky people. Too bad the plane was so expensive to operate-if not for that it would still be flying today in-spite of the accident.
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  • Ron Pilot USAF
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Demise of Concorde
    Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    It was amazing to see how critical takeoff was for concorde. I don't think the tire situation was anything equaled on any other aircraft, subsonic or supersonic. In addition, the failure to take positive action to prevent the same situation that occurred during takeoff from Washington DC some years earlier was the primary cause of this accident.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Irish
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read for any aviation enthusiast
    Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2018
    Amazon Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
    "The Last Days of the Concorde" tells the story of an ambitious technological achievement that was unable to keep up with the financial realities of a changing traveling public and came to a bitter end following one of the most stunning aviation accidents in history. Samme Chittum discusses the tragic crash of Air France flight 4590 against the backdrop of the history of the Concorde. Chittum covers the early days of development from the conception designs to the partnership between Air France and British Air to bring the state of the art plane to life, as well as the obstacles involved in expanding the use of the plane to make it profitable. The book chronicles the life-cycle of the plane, as well as the series of events leading to the only fatal accident in Concorde history (which also proved to be enough to soon end the plane's commercial use).

    For those fascinated by aviation technology, this book is a must read. It's not a long narrative, but it gives all the necessary elements about this plane's history.
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  • Graham C. Hanson
    1.0 out of 5 stars Very poorly written and inaccurate
    Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    There’s some interesting information in this book but it’s riddled with technical, historical and factual inaccuracies

    Just for a start

    The author states that Concorde’s pitch control in supersonic cruise was achieved by fuel transfer, not true, CG was altered by this method to minimize control deflection due to the pressure of lift moving rearward

    He also states the landing gear extends to provide clearance for rotation on take off, actually the oleos shorten themselves after take off to allow the landing gear sufficient space in the wheel well to retract

    The final straw for me, and where I had to stop reading was the writer stating the inaugural Concorde service was British Airway’s flight from London to Rio De Janeiro with a stop in Dakar and Air France’s simultaneous operation to Bahrain from Paris

    He has both destinations transposed, BA flew to Bahrain and AF to Rio

    Hi
    Simple stuff, just some basic fact checking would have provided for an interesting and accurate account of this incredible aircraft’s history and the accident that led to its demise

    The author either couldn’t be bothered to do the required research, just made stuff up or both

    Very disappointing
    26 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jack Varley
    3.0 out of 5 stars Informative and Relevant - But Ultimately Dry
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    My primary interest in this book did not come from a point of aviation history but rather specifically aimed towards the 2000 disaster in Paris. My knowledge of planes is somewhat above average, but I'm in no position to critique the author's technical knowledge of the Concorde as some other reviewers have. That being said, I did find the book to be a good resource for learning about the crash of Air France Flight 4590. The early chapters were the strongest, outlining the events of the day and providing a background to the lives of the 113 people who were killed when the plane crashed. Following this section, the book delves into the process the investigators took in deciphering how and why the plane came down.

    After the investigators have reached their conclusions, it's at this point the book begins to decline in quality as it repeats the information already provided in the previous chapters. I understand what it was trying to do (connecting the events of the day with the findings of the investigators) but this really just felt unnecessary. The final couple of chapters look to the period after the investigations were concluded. It discusses lawsuits following aviation disasters more broadly, as well as considering the future of commercial supersonic travel in the 21st century. It's a fairly well rounded book, if a bit meandering and verbose at times.

    The book has a fair few pictures throughout, mostly concentrated in the earlier chapters chronicling the events of the day then followed up with a few technical diagrams during the investigation chapters. All in all, speaking from a layman's perspective it's a decent book that I'd give a lukewarm recommendation about to anyone with an interest in the crash of Air France Flight 4590 (or in the history of Concorde more generally). You'll have to have an existing interest in the subject matter though, because the book doesn't really provide an impetus to read on otherwise. I would seek out other works by the author, but it wouldn't really be high on my list of priorities to do so...
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  • Gonzalo Quezada
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book! 10/10
    Reviewed in Mexico on October 3, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Fast delivery, great quality and excellent price! Thank you very much.
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  • Phil
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Superb book by Samme Chittum
    Reviewed in Canada on June 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This is an absorbing easy to read book about flight 4590 - there is some technical information but it doesn't overwhelm the lay reader. If you are interested in books about aviation disasters then you should definitely read this compelling book - it absolutely held my attention. All the people in her books whether survivors or fatalities are treated with dignity and respect. Ms. Chittum is a great author - I have read her other 2 books on aviation disasters and I can't say enough good things about all of these books. I'm hoping she continues to write more aviation disaster books - perhaps a book on the Air Florida Flight 90 (Disaster on the Potomac) would also be a very compelling book. Please continue writing these great books, Ms. Chittum.
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  • chris
    3.0 out of 5 stars Reasonable but disappointing
    Reviewed in Australia on September 26, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Nothing in this book that you haven’t already seen on TV. The controversial issues *spoiler alert* of (over) weight, spacer, tailwind, engine shutdown and early rotation deserved very precise scientific analysis. The ‘what ifs?’ needed to be systematically dismantled and they weren’t .
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  • Milo
    2.0 out of 5 stars Who fact-checked this?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading this, but as a reviewer mentions below, it’s is full of inaccurate statements. I am a Concorde enthusiast so picked up on quite a few errors, but I am by no means an expert - how many more are there?...
    It also doesn’t really cover the evidence and arguments that question the official findings, and nor does it highlight the possible conflict of interest that could occur when a government body investigates a state-owned airline with potentially massive financial implications.
    Worth a read, but don’t take it as gospel.
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