Now that an average of 50,000 flights take off every day, it is hard to remember a time when commercial flight was not an option. You can now get to Croatia in less time that it takes to get a train up the country. So when was the very first jet powered commercial flight?
To remember this record we need to go back to 1949. Before, turbojet propulsion was favoured and several versions of the early jet engine such as the Rolls-Royce Nene, a piston engined airliner, was flown. Following this, the full jet power airliners were used due to their decreased noise level and vibration.
On July 27th 1949, the world’s first purpose built jet-propelled airliner, the British De Havilland Comet, took its maiden flight in England. Built by aviation pioneer Geoffrey de Havilland, it was this jet engine which went onto revolutionise the airline industry, paving the way for planes to fly higher and climb faster therein vastly decreasing flight time. Following this momentous flight, the Comet went onto test-fly for three more years until May 2nd 1952 when the British Overseas Aircraft Corporation (BOAC) introduced the world’s first commercial jet service flying passengers from London to Johannesburg in the 44-seat Comet 1A. Though it travelled at a record speed, 480 miles per hour, a series of fatal crashes from 1953-54 meant the entire fleet was grounded. Though De Havilland endeavoured to make the improvements needed, American Airline manufacturers Boeing and Douglas launched faster, more efficient planes of their own. From that point they controlled the industry.
30 Greatest Moments In Aviation – in association with Breitling, celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the timeless Chronomat.
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