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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0686.PDF
424 Here, with de Hovilland'i John Cunningham at London Airport after delivery of the Comet, are seen members of the 8.O.A.C. Development Flight. They are Capt. A. M. Majendie, Capt. E. £. Rodley, NavjOff. C. Evans and RjOff. R. W Chandler. EXPLORATORY COMET THE uniqu* Flight air-to-a* photograph on these twopages—secVred by L.W/McLaren from a Dove—isboth impressive- nndHtfstoric. It depicts the second of the three de Havilland Comets now flying as it orbited in the vicinity of London Airport on April 2nd prior to landing for handing-over to B.O. A.C. This is one of two Comets ordered by the Ministry of Supply for development work and has been loaned to the Corporation to make it possible—in advance of delivery of the first of the operational Comet fleet—to explore crucial operating problems in different parts of the world. The trials now imminent are regarded by B.O.A.C. as an essential first step before the introduction of the Comet into public service. They will cover, for example, air-traffic control, operating techniques, meteorology at high altitudes on overseas routes, performance checking, and suitability of communications and radar. The programme has been prepared by B.O.A.C. in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Supply, and should prove of the greatest value to civil aviation in general. The de Havilland company emphasises that the trials do not constitute the whole of the preparatory work and are not to be confused with the normal proving flights and training which, as with any new type of airliner, will follow. The aircraft handed over has the single-wheel type undercarriage, which is replaced in production Comets by four-wheel bogies. The interior layout is not standard and the aircraft is neither fully furnished nor soundproof. Flights will be made between the United Kingdom and Calcutta, and the decision as to other routes on which it may be experimentally flown will depend on the experience thus gained. Delivery of the fourteen Comets for B.O.A.C. should begin during the summer, and it is hoped that by the end of this year, or early in 1952, the type will go into regular commercial service with the Corporation. During 1952 or early 1953 the two Comets initially ordered by Canadian Pacific Airlines for their Vancouver-Tokio-Hong Kong service should be delivered.
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