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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0556.PDF
FLIGHT, 23 Match 1950. ROME- IN A DAY There and Back in Four Hours' Ftytng Time : First-Hand Impres- sions of the Comet's Record Trip By the Editor rapidly drawing closer when passengers on the world's airlines will be familiar with the Comet's characteristic wing form, here seen with its boundary- 'ayer fence—probably a standard fitting. RECORD flights are usually attended by feverish last-minute trials and preparations, by fuss and flap, bydoubts, hopes and fears, and often by a great deal of physical exertion as well. That these were entirely absent on the occasion of the de Havilland Comet's flights to and from Rome was no cause for disappointment among the fortunate few who participated—nor, in fact, had anything of the sort been expected. The whole business last Thurs- day, March 16th, was entirely in keeping with the atmo- sphere of dignified confidence which surrounds the Comet and its capabilities as demonstrated to date. It is quite remarkable how everyone in this country has so soon come to accept the Comet and already to expect from it a per- formance which in any other civil aircraft would be regarded as astounding. The chief test pilot, John Cunningham, has a way of saying a word or two on landing which gives a clearer picture of a flight than would a thousand-word report. On returning to Hatfield on this occasion he said: "An uneventful trip—no troubles, no worries." Truly, it might have been a routine passenger service to and from Ciampino airport at Rome. And in this its importance lies, for it was in the nature of an early proving flight, sixteen privileged passengers being carried. Quite soon B.O.A.C. will, it is hoped, be introducing the Comets into passenger service over Middle East routes;'possibly this very stage may be flown. Above all else, airlines must be able to offer safe, reliable, uneventful journeys. The Comet has demon- strated once more that it can fulfil this requirement and offer as well exceptional speed, better-than-average com- fort, and economy for the operator. The capturing of records by an airliner under development is quite incidental to its serious trials—though no less creditable to the aircraft and its manufacturers for that reason. Many records are within the capacity of the Comet, and on the Rome flight, for example, records for 1,000 or 2,000 kg load for 1.000 km and the same loads to 10,000 metres altitude might well have been brought in. Pre- viously the London-to-Rome record was held by S/L. Neville Duke (Hawker Fury), who took 2 hr 31 min 51 sec. The Comet's out and return times (Hatfield-Ciampino) were 2 hr 2 min 52 sec and 2 hr 4 min 14 sec. These figures are subject to confirmation and, with others (see page 384) will in due course be homologated for record status. Diary and Impressions of the Flights By my watch, the wheels left the long Hatfield runway at 09.15 hr 20 sec. We passengers shared the cabin space with recording equipment and test gear, but the dozen or so temporary seats provided all the comfort we needed. Through the door in the forward bulk- head we could see more instruments, the foremost water-ballast tank (e.g. is altered for tests by transferring water between front and rear tanks) and, ahead of this, three of the crew of five at their stations. The cabin is pressurized, but the whole conditioning system is*quite newly installed and is still under develop- ment. There is little trimming, carpeting or furnishing as yet, and for this reason we could not judge how low the noise level will be in service. Quite a crowd had gathered to give us a send-off, and after clearing Customs at the airfield we had climbed in at the starboard-side front door. Weather and visibility were good, but rather adverse Temporary comfort for privileged pas- sengers: Air Marshal Coryton, Controller of Supplies (Air), M.o.S., is talking to Major Mullock in the part-furnished Comet cabin. Very different standards of comfort will be offered to B.O.A.C. passengers.
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