It was expected that an Anglo-French supersonic airliner Concorde would fly over the city on June 20, 1972.
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Thousands of people lined the streets in Canberra, unaware that it had arrived earlier than expected, made only one low sweep over the airport and then flown out to sea.
There were 60 complaints were made to The Canberra Times and many more were made to the local radio station, 2CA, jamming its switchboard.
Only 1200 people who arrived early on Mount Ainslie were rewarded with a close-up view of the Concorde as it flew past.
Its nose visor was not dropped, giving Canberra the best sight any Australians would get of the aircraft in "clean" form.
Among the thousands of people who missed seeing the aircraft because of the pilot's failure to make the pre-announced circuit of the city were the staff of the British High Commission, who waited on the roof of their building.
The Department of Civil Aviation had given the pilot permission to make a circuit of the city but chose not to.
A British Aircraft Corporation spokesperson said the the BAC was sorry if the terms of the announcement of the overflight meant that many people were unable to see the aircraft.
See trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102027387