A rare collaboration between the French and British aviation industries, the idea behind the Concorde was to significantly reduce long-haul flights in key routes around the world. It certainly did. It was powered by four afterburner-equipped Olympus 593 Mk610 turbojet engines, an engine technology often reserved for military jets and found on Avro Vulcan strategic bombers. Like those bombers, the Concorde had the ability to travel at altitudes upwards of 60,000 ft, meaning it encountered thinner air and less drag than lower, traditional commercial flights.

The Concorde managed to even look fast while parked, and there was a reason for that. Every part of the aircraft –- from the adjustable, downward-turned nose to the stretched-out body to the curved wings – was streamlined to reduce drag and increase flying speed. Those delta-wings (once again similar to the Avro Vulcan) were set at a 55-degree angle with the fuselage, reducing drag along a body designed to absorb the impact of shockwaves while traveling at supersonic speeds.

When it comes to the record-breaking transatlantic flight, the time achieved was more than due to the aforementioned design specs, as Simple Flying notes. It was planned that way by everyone involved, including Captain Leslie Scott, First Officer Tim Orchard, and Engineering Officer Rick Eades. They apparently chose February for its ideal upper air temperature and wind velocity, and achieved Mach 2 quickly and for as long as possible during the flight. Additionally, while the approaching runway at Heathrow usually had flights arriving from the east, the Concorde was coming from the west and convinced air traffic controllers to let them land that way to preserve the record-breaking flight time. It's safe to say that such considerations aren't usually made for other flights that don't break records.