Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde

The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde (widely searched across flight simulation communities as Concorde, the Concorde FXP, SST, Supersonic Transport, or the Colimata Concorde) remains the crowning achievement of civil aviation engineering. Cruising at twice the speed of sound at 60,000 feet, the Anglo-French supersonic airliner transformed transatlantic travel into an elite, three-hour routine for British Airways and Air France. Recreating this engineering marvel for modern flight simulation requires balancing an intricate three-crew flight deck with personal simulator accessibility. In X-Plane 12, developer Colimata delivers this experience through the Concorde FXP Version 3, featuring native lighting, modernized flight physics, and refined automated cockpit assistance.

Colimata bridges the gap between complex engineering and solo piloting through an interactive Virtual Flight Engineer (VFE) interface. Simmers can operate the aircraft in standard procedural mode, where the VFE automatically manages fuel pumping, cross-feeding, and center-of-gravity shifts during transonic acceleration. For purists seeking deeper study-level realism, engaging PRO mode transfers total control of all 13 fuel tanks, trim transfer pumps, and cabin pressurization valves directly to the manual Flight Engineer panel. Up on the forward flight deck, navigation is driven by period-accurate Delco Carousel IV-A (CIVA) Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), requiring waypoint coordinates and latitude/longitude alignment to guide the delta-wing jet across the North Atlantic Tracks.

In X-Plane 12, the flight dynamics capture the distinct performance profiles of supersonic delta aerodynamics. Four Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 turbojets with variable reheats (afterburners) propel the airframe through the sound barrier, where the center of lift moves aft and demands rapid fuel transfer into aft trim tank 11. Cruising between Mach 2.00 and Mach 2.04 at Flight Level 500 to Flight Level 600, the aircraft rides the thin upper atmosphere in Max Cruise autopilot mode. During terminal arrivals, lowering the iconic droop nose and visor restores runway visibility, while high approach angles of attack demand precise throttle modulation to establish stable landing flares without tail strikes.

Primary Missions & Operational Roles

• Speedbird Supersonic Flagship Transatlantic Runs: Flying the classic British Airways and Air France express routes between London Heathrow (EGLL) or Paris Charles de Gaulle (LFPG) and New York JFK (KJFK) in under three and a half hours.

• Mach 2 Transonic Acceleration & Step-Climb Profiles: Managing supersonic climb corridors past Mach 1.0, engaging afterburners through Mach 1.7, and following optimal cruise-climb profiles up to 60,000 feet.

• CIVA Inertial Navigation System Mastery: Navigating oceanic tracks using raw inertial coordinates, cross-checking drift angles, and inserting mid-route waypoints via the classic 9-waypoint Delco Carousel INS keypad.

• VIP Supersonic World Tours & Charters: Recreating luxury high-speed round-the-world charters into destinations such as Barbados (TBPB), Rio de Janeiro (GIG), and Honolulu (PHNL).