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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 2330.PDF
muummnton JET TRANSPORT'S NEXT 40 YEARS The world's first true passenger jetliner flew 40 years ago. J. M. Ramsden assesses its influence, and speculates on the next 40 years. The world knew that the de Havilland company was building a jet airliner, but no photographs or drawings were published until April 1949, when the prototype was rolled out at Hatfield. The first flight, on July 27, was made in private. Such secrecy, inconceivable today, infuriated the media. It was necessary, de Havilland reasoned, to leap ahead of the Americans in the postwar airliner market. During the war the British had concen trated on fighters and bombers while the Americans continued to develop and build transport aircraft. The only way to catch the postwar airliner market was to thrust ahead with a jet-propelled airliner, exploiting Britain's lead in jet propulsion and de Havilland's capability in jet engines as well as airframes. The aircraft which changed the world on that summer's evening 40 years ago was the first true jet airliner. Piston-engined airliners such as the Viking and Tudor had been experimentally fitted with jets. Avro Canada's short-range Jetliner, which flew a few weeks after the Comet, was a true jet airliner, but was cancelled. The D.H. 106 Comet was the mother of today's 8,000 jet transports, which are perhaps the most civilising application of man's technology. Carrying three million passengers each day, they draw people and nations closer together, and their jet runways Aircraft may look much the same, but passengers will demand more room. The Comet 1, left, seated 36 four-abreast; the 747, right seats ten times more 28 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 29 July 1989
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