Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio) British and French Concorde SSTs take off from Washington, DC airport. Govt. to consider noise level in Concorde's 16-mo. trial period.
REPORTER: Morton Dean

(Dulles International Airport) French Concorde take-off shown. Federal Aviation Administration instruments report supersonic transport as being twice as loud as other jets. [British Concorde pilot Captain Brian CALVERT - asks for different runway to avoid noise in neighborhoods.] Reporters and Federal Aviation Administration caught unawares by runway switch.
REPORTER: Nelson Benton

(Studio) Concorde's success depends on passengers it can lure away from slower jets.
REPORTER: Morton Dean

(New York) Not known if Concorde will make money. Concorde take-off shown. [Chairperson Continental Airlines Robert SIX - says Concorde has to be an economy disaster.] [British Aircraft Corporation Michael WILDE - says Concorde is success and will make money.] [Chairperson TWA, Charles TILLINGHAST - says Concorde can reach 10% of transatlantic traveling public.] Tillinghast estimates Concorde will take $40 million business from Trans World Airlines, Inc. (TWA) and Pan-American 747 jet costs $37 million and has 400 seats. Concorde costs $65 million and has 80 seats. Concorde spends $10,000 hour for 4-hr. flight. 747 spends $3000 hr. for 8 hour trip. 747 fare is $450; Concorde fare is $801. British Airways says over 1/2 seats must be filled to make profit. [Ex-Pan American pres. Najeeb HALABY - says will be difficult for Concorde to fill that many seats.] CBS polls 10 largest United States companies with regard to usage of Concorde. Chart shows companies and their responses. [TILLINGHAST - says just matter of time before leadership swings to other side of ocean.]
REPORTER: Mitchell Krauss