Word: concordski
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...Russian plane, nicknamed Concordski by Westerners, looked almost like a twin of the Concorde with its ant-eater nose and swept-back delta wings, though its white fuselage was badly in need of a bath or a paint job. Also like the Concorde, the Tu-144 had a small cabin with narrow aisles and elbow-to-elbow seating; it carried a maximum of 140 passengers (the Concorde carries only 100). The inaugural aircraft lacked posh decor. Several of its ceiling panels were ajar, service trays got stuck, and window shades slipped down without being pulled...
There were white knuckles and strained expressions among the 80 passengers as the Concordski whistled down the runway for 33 seconds, sucking in air through four "sugar scoop" intakes slung beneath its body. Doubtless, many passengers remembered apprehensively that in its first major public appearance at the Paris air show four years ago, the Concordski went out of control, killing 13 people in a fiery crash that was seen by millions of TV viewers. After the tragedy, modifications were made in the aircraft...
Passengers were startled by the extreme angle of ascent, which threatened to dump all their hand baggage into the rear toilet. But within 15 minutes the Concordski was level and cruising comfortably ten miles above ground, racing at twice the speed of sound toward Alma-Ata, 1,931 miles away...
...hours after takeoff, the Concordski passed over the snowcapped mountains above Alma-Ata and settled onto the runway like a giant titanium duck, putting its feet down carefully and coming in tail...
...Soviets have already put one of their SSTs (nicknamed "Concordski" by Westerners because of design features obviously copied from the British-French plane) into service on a domestic cargo and mail run from Moscow to the central Asian city of Alma-Ata. The Concorde is not far behind. The French plan to start SST service later this month from Paris to the Senegalese capital of Dakar (2,860 miles) and then on to Rio de Janeiro (another 3,189 miles). At the same time, Britain will launch Concorde flights from London's Heathrow for the 3,162-mile trip...
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