Measurements during solar particle events with dosemeters flying permanently on-board Concorde are used to develop a semi-empirical model, called SiGLE. The model is intended to calculate, for a given flight plan, the dose equivalent received during a solar particle event observed with ground-based neutron monitors. It is successfully in operation in the SIEVERT computerised system intended to improve monitoring of radiation dose received by aircrews, in application to a European Directive. The semi-empirical model is applied to evaluate, for most exposed routes, the radiation doses corresponding to the GLEs observed since 1942 with ion chambers or neutron monitors. The results for the largest GLEs observed in the past are discussed in terms of radiation risk, and guidelines are suggested concerning possible alerts to the aeroplanes in case of events of exceptional magnitude.