9/04/1971: Concorde 001 Makes Its First Transatlantic Crossing

TOULOUSE — On September 4, 1971, the Anglo-French Concorde 001 prototype (F-WTSS) departed Toulouse for Sal, Cabo Verde. From Sal, it flew to Cayenne, French Guiana, in the type's first transatlantic flight.

The crossing opened a South American sales and demonstration tour. Concorde 001 reached Rio de Janeiro on September 6 and later appeared at the France '71 exhibition in São Paulo. The tour ended on September 18 after 29 hours and 52 minutes of flying.

The trip was an early test of how the prototype could operate beyond its Toulouse base while introducing the program to a new market. Its route connected Europe, Cabo Verde, French Guiana, and Brazil before the aircraft returned to France.