Brian Trubshaw’s Passport: Concorde’s First British Test Pilot

Here comes a very unusual document set, including two British passports of a Concorde pilot, to be precise, a test pilot! British Airways (BA) had 134 Concorde pilots during the aircraft was in service from 1976 to 2003. However, there were eventually only 11 test/training pilots.

Concorde Facts

The supersonic airliner had a cruising speed of 1,350 mph (2,179 km/h), more than twice the speed of sound. The first round-the-world flight by a BA Concorde took place on November 8, 1986. The aircraft covered 28,238 miles in 29 hours 59 minutes. The Concorde could reduce the flight time between London and New York to about three hours.

The BA first flight in 1976 from London to Bahrain had a one-way ticket cost of £356. Concorde’s pilots were paid the same salary as commercial line pilots at BA and Air France. The top salary for captains was £120,700 sterling basic.

20 Concorde were built between 1969 and 1979. 6 for development and 14 for commercial service. All the Concorde, except two of the production aircraft, are preserved. One aircraft was scrapped in 1994, the other was the Air France Flight 4590 crash.

Mike Bannister was the Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways. He landed the last scheduled flight at Heathrow in October 2003.

Ernest Brian Trubshaw

Ernest Brian Trubshaw, a distinguished test pilot and the inaugural British aviator to operate the Concorde, accomplished this feat in April 1969. Trubshaw held the titles of CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) and MVO (Member of the Royal Victorian Order). He was born on January 29, 1924, and passed away on March 24, 2001.

Education

Born in Liverpool in 1924, Brian Trubshaw spent his formative years in Llanelli. His family had ties to the Western Tinplate Works through his grandfather, who married into the family that owned the enterprise. The tinplate works were subsequently managed by Brian’s father, Harold (Major H E Trubshaw). Brian received his education at Winchester College.

RAF

At the age of eighteen in 1942, Brian Trubshaw enlisted in the RAF (Royal Air Force). He underwent pilot training in the United States, where he flew Stearman biplanes. Joining Bomber Command in 1944, he piloted Stirlings and Lancasters, later transferring to Transport Command in 1945.

Pilot of the Royal Family

Following the conclusion of World War II, Trubshaw became part of the King’s Flight, serving as the pilot for George VI and other members of the Royal Family. Between 1949 and 1950, he took on instructional roles at the Empire Flying School and the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell.

Vickers Armstrongs Test Pilot & Director

After obtaining permission to leave the RAF, Flight Lieutenant Trubshaw retired on his own request on May 21, 1950. Subsequently, he ventured to Malaya to commence a role as a test pilot for Vickers Armstrongs. Trubshaw dedicated three decades to this position, succeeding G R ‘Jock’ Bryce as chief test pilot by 1964 and later assuming the role of director of test flighting from 1966.

During his tenure, Trubshaw played a crucial role in the development of various aircraft, including the Valiant V-bomber, the Vanguard, the VC10, and the BAC One-Eleven. He took on the responsibility of test flying all of these aircraft.

First Concorde Flight

Brian Trubshaw gained widespread attention when he piloted a Concorde for the first time on April 9, 1969, during a flight from Filton to its test base at RAF Fairford. Exiting the futuristic cockpit of Concorde 002, he expressed, “It was wizard – a cool, calm and collected operation.”

British Airways

In June 1969, Mr. Trubshaw successfully flew 002 over Buckingham Palace at just 1,500 feet to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. He took a British Concorde on a world tour in 1972 and was at the controls on Jan. 21, 1976, when British Airways opened its first commercial Concorde service between London and Bahrain. However, “Trubby” served as a CAA Test Pilot and had no affiliation with British Airways.

Before this milestone, he had also taken the helm in an early test flight of the French prototype Concorde 001, commanded by André Turcat. In recognition of their contributions to Concorde, both Trubshaw and Turcat were honored with the Ivan C. Kincheloe Award in 1971.

Work & Honors

Brian Trubshaw received an appointment as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order in 1948, marking the beginning of a series of notable honors in his career. The OBE (Order of the British Empire) was bestowed upon him in 1964, and he was later granted the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1970. Additionally, in 1976, he received the French Aeronautical Medal.

Concluding his career as the divisional director and general manager of the Filton works at British Aerospace from 1980 to 1986, Trubshaw transitioned to roles in the aviation sector. From 1986 to 1993, he served as a board member of the Civil Aviation Authority and worked as an aviation consultant. Additionally, he authored books on aviation, most notably “Concorde: The Inside Story.”

Later Life

Beyond his aviation pursuits, Trubshaw, characterized by his burly and extroverted demeanor, expanded his interests to include golf and equestrianism. He actively participated in equestrian events and served as a fence judge at Badminton Horse Trials for several years.

In 1998, the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum honored Brian Trubshaw with induction.

Air France Concorde Crash (July 25, 2000)

Trubshaw commented on the crash, expressing, “I can’t claim to be surprised. While I sincerely hoped such an incident would never occur, a certain level of realism comes with being involved in aviation for as many years as I have.”

Speaking to BBC Television just a day after the tragic crash of an Air France Concorde near Paris, resulting in the loss of 113 lives, he added, “Having been immersed in the aviation field for so long, there was always an awareness that a situation like this could possibly arise.” Moreover, he expressed deep concern about the incident and emphasized the need for a thorough investigation.

Trubshaw passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 24, 2001, at his residence in Cherington, Gloucestershire.

The auction result was £900 +24% premium.

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Tom Topol | Passport History Expert & Author.
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