In 1972, as excitement around Concorde’s
development was building, several airlines
around the world placed orders for the revolutionary
aircraft. One airline, IranAir, had an order
for two of the supersonic planes and an option
for one more. What was the story behind this
order, and what could have been?
Well, this story begins back on October 8th,
1972. This is when IranAir officially signed
its order for two Concordes and an option
for a third. It is believed that this order
was politically motivated, with Iran placing
it to further improve relations with France.
This was part of several other deals featuring
products like a nationwide SECAM color television
system.
Iran would send two pilots to France in 1973
for pilot training, performing several takeoffs
around the Aerospatiale Center in Toulouse,
France.
IranAir would then charter Air France Concordes
for several Paris to Teran flights, as well
as a trip to Paris-Kish Island. Technically
this means that IranAir did operate a Concorde
service, despite it being a wet lease operation.
The plan was for Iran and its people to get
a taste of supersonic travel before the delivery
of the first aircraft.
The first IranAir Concorde was due to land
in 1976 and the latter option in late 1978.
Construction began, and the Concordes were
built. However, the jets would never make
it to IranAir.
In 1978, Iran’s society had an upheaval,
and the Shah lost power. Iran’s new leaders
saw the expensive Concorde as a luxury item.
After all, it wasn’t an aircraft for the
everyday person. Instead, it stood as a sign
of the previous government’s opulence.
Later fallout between the West and Iran would
have likely eliminated any hopes of a sale
going through, had they wanted to keep the
order.
Due to the political turbulence and the oil
crisis it created, Iran officially canceled
its airline’s Concorde orders in April of
1980.
The two IranAir production model Concordes
were shifted to the British Airways order
where would go on to serve for the rest of
their lifespan.
Had the oil crisis not happened and the IranAir
Concorde order gone through, the deal might
have breathed life into the jet program.
IranAir would have been the third airline
following Air France and British Airways to
adopt the aircraft. Without the oil crisis,
cheap fuel would be available on the market.
In this scenario, other airlines might have
decided to pull the trigger and secure their
plane.
We can only imagine the knock-on effects of
such an order going through. Aerospatiale
may have built a second version of the Concorde,
thus jumpstarting a competitive race for supersonic
travel with Boeing’s 2707 program.
Did you know about IranAir’s Concorde deal?
Let us know in the comments.
