"The supersonic Concorde jetliner's first flight 40 years was not only a historic date for aviation, it also marked a key milestone in a programme that helped pave the way for Airbus' subsequent success in the worldwide civil airliner marketplace. On 2 March 1969, the no. 1 Concorde prototype lifted off from Toulouse, France, initiating a test and certification effort that led to 27 years of commercial...