People and Events on May 31, 2003

No famous people were born on this date, but there may be notable events you would find interesting below.

The Day the Future of Flight Changed Forever: May 31st, 2003

May 31st, 2003, is a day that will be etched in the annals of aviation history as the day the supersonic era came to an end. It was on this day that Air France, the flag carrier of France, retired its iconic Concorde fleet, marking the end of a revolutionary chapter in commercial aviation.

Air France's Concorde: A Brief History

The Concorde, a supersonic jet capable of flying at speeds up to Mach 2.04 (1,354 mph), was a joint project between British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) and Aérospatiale (now Airbus). It first took to the skies in 1969 and was introduced into commercial service in 1976. The Concorde was a symbol of luxury and innovation, with its sleek design, luxurious amenities, and unparalleled speed.

The Last Flight

On May 31st, 2003, Air France conducted the final commercial flight of its Concorde fleet, flight AF002, from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. The flight was a nostalgic trip that brought tears to the eyes of many, including the pilots, crew, and passengers who had been a part of the Concorde's remarkable journey.

Born on This Day

May 31st, 2003, is also the birthday of several notable individuals, including:

Other Notable Events

May 31st, 2003, was also a significant day in the world of technology, as it marked the release of Apple's Xcode 1.0, a software development tool that would go on to play a crucial role in the development of macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS.

As the world bid farewell to the Concorde, it marked the end of an era in commercial aviation. However, it also paved the way for new innovations and technologies that would shape the future of flight.

May 31st, 2003, will always be remembered as a day that changed the course of history, a day that marked the end of one remarkable journey and the beginning of another.

Noteworthy Events on this Day:
22 years ago
Air France retires its iconic Concorde fleet (Paris, France) 2003
Air France's luxurious Concorde, the supersonic jet that embodied the epitome of style and speed, took to the skies for the last time on May 31, 2003. After 27 years of whisking the rich and famous from New York to London in just under 3.5 hours, the Concorde's retirement marked the end of an era. Rising maintenance costs, declining demand, and a devastating crash in 2000 that killed 113 people eventually made the aircraft unsustainable. As the storied fleet was retired, a piece of aviation history was relegated to the annals of time.