Travelling at twice the speed of sound with an altitude of twice that of other commercial aircraft, the supersonic Concorde jet stood as the crowning achievement of modern aviation technology for over a quarter-century. Conceived in the 1950s by French and British airways as a way to compete with the burgeoning American airline industry, the Concorde overcame severe financial and engineering obstacles to launch its first commercial flight in 1977. The gamble soon paid off as the Concorde became both a leader in technological advancement and the very embodiment of luxury with a passenger list that included the world's A-list celebrities, businessmen, and world leaders. But rising maintenance costs, environmental concerns such as noise and pollution, and the tragic crash of an Air France Concorde in July of 2000 precipitated a sharp decline in the aircraft's popularity; and on October 24, 2003, the Concorde made its last commercial flight. PBS examines the storied rise and fall of the engineering marvel in this episode of the popular NOVA series.

DVD Features:

Region 0
Keep Case
Letterbox - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital Stereo - English
Interactive Features:
Scene Access
Interactive Menus
DVD-ROM Features:
Weblinks: NOVA Website