John Cochrane (pilot)
John Cochrane | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1930-07-26 Ayr, Scotland |
| Died | 2006-11-04 |
| Occupation | Test pilot |
| Years active | 1949–1990s |
| Known for | Test pilot for Concorde supersonic airliner |
John Cochrane (26 July 1930 – 4 November 2006) was a British test pilot notably involved with the Anglo-French supersonic airliner, Concorde.
Education
Originating from Ayr and educated at Strathallan School in Perthshire, Cochrane initially pursued an engineering degree before enlisting in the Royal Air Force (RAF). In 1949, he earned a cadetship at the Royal Air Force College located at RAF Cranwell, where he trained as a pilot and received the Phillip Sassoon Memorial Prize for achieving second place in the order of merit. Additionally, he was awarded the RUSI prize for producing the best individual thesis, completing his studies in 1952.
Early career
Following his graduation, Cochrane joined the prestigious 617 Squadron ("Dambusters"), piloting the English Electric Canberra, which was Britain’s first jet bomber. He subsequently served with No. 90 Squadron RAF and No. 214 Squadron RAF, flying the Vickers Valiant, the initial model among Britain’s trio of V Bombers. During the 1956 Suez Crisis, he participated in bombing missions targeting Egyptian airfields from bases in Malta. Acknowledged for his exceptional piloting skills and precise reporting, he graduated from the Empire Test Pilots' School at Farnborough in 1960 and was assigned to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down. In September 1962, he left his RAF commission to become an experimental test pilot at Vickers-Armstrongs, where he contributed to stall testing on the company’s final civil airliner, the Vickers VC10.
Concorde
In 1962, negotiations began between the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) and Sud Aviation to develop a supersonic transport aircraft. This initiative later involved their successors, British Aerospace (BAe) and Aérospatiale. By May 1964, both parties agreed on Concorde’s preliminary Mach 2 design. Assembly of the British prototype commenced at Filton in 1966, coinciding with Cochrane’s appointment as project test pilot. To prepare for Concorde 002’s inaugural flight, Cochrane gained experience flying several high-performance aircraft featuring delta and swept wings, such as the Dassault Mirage III, Dassault Mirage IV, English Electric Lightning, Handley Page HP.115, and BAC221. In 1968, he advanced to deputy chief test pilot within BAC’s commercial division.
On 9 April 1969, Cochrane served as co-pilot alongside chief test pilot Brian Trubshaw during Concorde 002’s maiden flight, occurring five weeks after the French prototype’s first sortie. He remained a key figure throughout Concorde’s testing phase. The aircraft secured its certificate of airworthiness in December 1975 and commenced commercial service with British Airways on 21 January 1976. Cochrane conducted numerous proving flights aboard Concorde 002 and captained Concorde 101 during trial operations. His responsibilities included evaluating the engine intake control system while pushing performance boundaries regarding speed, altitude, and passenger load on typical Mach 2 routes. He commanded Concorde 101 when it achieved Mach 2.23 and ascended to an altitude of 68,000 feet; he also set record-breaking transatlantic crossings under three hours in both directions.
Throughout testing, Cochrane and Trubshaw uncovered various issues. Early difficulties involved restricted landing visibility caused by the front window’s protective visor design. At maximum speeds approaching Mach 2.2, switching off the reheat system led to cyclic surges—termed 'forward firing backfire'—in the Rolls-Royce Olympus engines. Both British and French teams concurred on upgrading engine controls from analogue to digital systems—a major contributor to increased costs and a seven-year delay. In 1974, Cochrane successfully performed an emergency landing after one undercarriage leg failed to lock into place, prompting essential modifications to the aircraft design.
Later career
Following his role in pilot training, Cochrane left BAe in 1980 and spent the next decade flying commercially as a captain with Cyprus Airways. He expressed disappointment over the 2003 Concorde grounding after the 2000 Paris accident, asserting that the aircraft could have remained in service for a longer period. On 24 October 2003, Cochrane participated in one of the trio of Concorde flights marking their final commercial journey to Heathrow Airport. He considered piloting Concorde to be the pinnacle of his aviation career, surpassed only by his involvement with the US Apollo Program.
Awards
- Honoured with the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in 1971.
- Presented with the Derry and Richards Memorial Medal recognizing flight test accomplishments in 1977.