Air France's streamlined white Concorde swooped into a Paris airport on its final commercial flight home today, an emotional end to years of supersonic travel between New York and Paris.
The plane touched down at Charles de Gaulle Airport at 5.44 pm local time after cruising over the Atlantic Ocean at twice the speed of sound. Hundreds of Concorde fans gathered to watch.
The plane and the rest of the Air France Concorde aircraft will be retired - one to an exhibit at Charles de Gaulle Airport and the other four to museums.
"It's the end of an era in aviation," said Dominique Bussereau, France's transport secretary, before the flight took off from John F Kennedy International Airport.
Three water trucks sprayed red, white and blue water in an arc in front of the plane as it departed for its three-and-a-half hour flight. Sixty-eight passengers were aboard - including a woman who bought a seat for her dog, Romeo, as she does every month.
British Airways, the only other airline that flies the Concorde, plans to retire its fleet at the end of October. Both companies say they can no longer afford the plane's costly maintenance.
Before take-off, many of the passengers said they were sad to see the end of the Concorde, which has served executives and celebrities since 1976.
Christophe Mazel, the chief financial officer of Michelin Tyres in Thailand, said the Concorde gave passengers the chance to travel in a hi-tech aircraft but with a "very smooth environment".
"There's a lot of luxury," Mazel said. "You're eating the most beautiful food, drinking the most beautiful wine. You can't compare it even to first class."
The Concorde's retirement comes after a July 25, 2000, accident over Gonesse, France, that killed 113 people, including four on the ground. The aircraft was taken out of service until November 2001 and overhauled based on findings by investigators.
A probe found that a stray strip of metal on the runway punctured one of the jet's tyres, propelling bits of rubber into the fuel tank and starting a fire.
To ensure its safety, aviation experts designed durable new radial tyres that would burst into lighter, more flexible fragments. Experts also installed fuel tank liners, engineered to prevent leaks if the plane's wing is ruptured.
Despite the extensive revamping, the Concorde became a victim of the times. Flying fears after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks took a toll on airlines around the world, making it harder to keep the delta-winged craft, with its costly maintenance, in service.
First-time passenger Pamela Goldin, 33, of Paris, decided to splurge on a 6,000 US dollar (€6,046) one-way ticket for the Air France Concorde's swan song.
"How can I give up the opportunity to try this amazing feat that will end today?" she said. "It's a great way to go home."
AP