The Aerospatiale Concorde was such a beautiful bird. Even today, I still dream of seeing a Concorde in person, even though they are all now museum pieces. Its delta wings, super sleek shape, and pointed nose are a masterpiece of engineering. While staring at a picture of a Concorde one time, I noticed that its nose was pointed down. However, in other pictures, it was straight. I later realized that the Concorde’s nose could point down and then retract to its original position. This unique feature on the Concorde is called the droop nose, and it was primarily designed for a specific purpose—improving visibility during take-off and landing.
The Concorde’s nose could move between several positions, a feature that addressed the specific challenges of flying at both supersonic and subsonic speeds. The primary reason for this droop nose was to improve the pilots’ field of vision during takeoff and landing.
During supersonic flight, the Concorde flew at a high angle of attack, which means the aircraft’s nose was tilted upward relative to the oncoming airflow. A fixed nose in this position would have severely limited the pilots’ visibility, particularly when the aircraft was close to the ground. To overcome this issue, the Concorde was equipped with a moveable nose that could be lowered, or “drooped,” to provide a better view of the runway.
How the Droop Nose Works
The Concorde’s droop nose was controlled by a complex system of hydraulics and electrical mechanisms. The nose and visor, which protected the windshield from the heat generated during supersonic flight, could be adjusted to four different positions depending on the phase of the flight:
- Position 1: Nose and Visor Fully Up
This position was used during supersonic flight and when the aircraft was parked on the ground. In this position, the nose formed a streamlined shape that minimized drag and allowed the aircraft to achieve and maintain supersonic speeds. - Position 2: Nose Fully Up, Visor Retracted
In this configuration, the visor was retracted, allowing access to the windshield. This position was occasionally used during short subsonic cruises and for cleaning the windscreen. - Position 3: Nose Down at 5 Degrees, Visor Retracted
This position was used during takeoff and taxiing. Lowering the nose to a 5-degree angle provided the pilots with a clear view of the runway ahead while maintaining aerodynamic efficiency. - Position 4: Nose Down at 12.5 Degrees, Visor Retracted
The final position was used during landing and taxiing after landing. In this position, the nose was fully drooped to a 12.5-degree angle, offering the best possible visibility for the pilots as they approached and landed on the runway.
The Mechanics Behind the System
The visor and droop nose were operated by hydraulic jacks controlled by the flight crew through a selector switch located on the co-pilot’s dash panel. The hydraulic system, known as the green hydraulic system, worked in conjunction with the aircraft’s electrical system to smoothly lower and raise the nose and visor.
In normal operation, the nose and visor were lowered using this hydraulic system, which ensured precise and reliable movement. If the primary system failed, a standby hydraulic system powered by the yellow hydraulic system and essential DC electrical supply could be used. In cases of total hydraulic or electrical failure, the nose could be mechanically released to free-fall to the 5-degree down position, ensuring that pilots would still have some visibility even in an emergency.
The visor mechanism was designed to be robust and reliable, with spring-assisted mechanisms aiding in the free-fall of the visor to its fully down position during emergency operations. The visor was secured in place by an up-lock mechanism during supersonic flight to prevent any unintended movement.
The Concorde’s droop nose was an essential feature that enabled safe and efficient operations at both supersonic and subsonic speeds. This design allowed pilots to have the necessary visibility during critical phases of flight, such as takeoff and landing, while still maintaining the aerodynamic efficiency required for supersonic travel. At least now, I know,
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
