Show Notes
When the pandemic halted film and TV productions in early 2020, Westbrook Media, the fledgling production company of actor Will Smith, didn't fold. They changed the game. Seeing an opportunity for a new kind of project, and using new ways of working, they pivoted to produce a hit variety show for Snapchat ... in Will Smith's garage.
More from Teamistry
In the season finale, we go beyond rumor and speculation to answer: what really grounded Concorde for good? Aided by insights from an aviation journalist, we explore Concorde's legacy, its impact on the world, and the new projects it inspired that might return supersonic passenger aircraft to the skies.
On July 25th, 2000, Concorde suffers its worst nightmare. Minutes after take off, an Air France flight crashes into a hotel near Charles de Gaulle airport, killing all passengers and crew. It’s now up to the team of engineers to study the aftermath and piece together the final moments of the aircraft. They hope to explain the cause to the world and restore faith in supersonic flight.
Concorde is an instant hit with celebrities. Mick Jagger, Sting, and Princess Diana are all frequent flyers – for the fast travel and the high-class atmosphere. Concorde itself becomes a pop star, with its own (horrible) feature film. But on the ground, politics and protests force it to alter its course.
Concorde makes aviation history when the first prototype plane takes to the skies. But solving complex engineering problems is only the beginning. At almost every turn throughout the 1970s, Concorde faced existential threats. The Oil Crisis, environmental protests, and allegations of "Aviation Colonialism" could ground the plane and end the supersonic dream forever.
While engineers in U.K. and France struggle to a prototype of Concorde up in the air, they respond by creating their version of an open office concept to build a fluid and collaborative work environment. Also in this episode - America enters the supersonic race, rumours of Russian espionage become rife, and Soviet Russia’s attempt at flying supersonic ends in a tragedy.