THE FIRST JET AIRLINES

THE WORLD'S FIRST JET AIRLINES WAS THE DE HAVILLAND COMET, WHICH HERALDED THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW SOCIAL PHENOMENON- THE "JET SET"

During the 1950s jet air travel became the ultimate luxury for those who could afford it. Many flight times were helved compared with those made by conventional aircraft, but journeys were still slow by modern standards - in May 1952 the world's first jet passenger service, a British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) flight from London to Johannesburg, made five stop on the 18 1/2 hour journey to South Africa.

The BOAC sevice was launched using the aircraft with which Britain hoped to gain world leadership in passenger transport design : the de Havilland Comet. Developed since 1944 as a closely guarded industrial secrete, the comet made its maiden flight in July 1949 and went into freight service in January 1952 befora taking its place as the world's first jet airliner with the flight to Johannesburg on May that year.

THE FIGHT FOR SUPREMACY

The Comet may have been the first jet airline into service, but it was not the world leader for long. Three months after de Havilland's pride and joy flew to South Africa, U.S manufacturer Boeing began developing a military and civil transport aircraft, which in 1955 went into passenger service as the Boeing 707. Meanwhile , technical problem had led to the Comet's being grounded and redesigned, but even the much improved Comet 4 could not compete with the more technologically advanced 707, which outperformed it in pods beneath the wings, the Boeing also stole the British dream of setting the pattern for left behind by the 707 : On October 4, 1958, it was used to inaugurate the world's first transatlantic jet passenger service, 22 days ahead of the Boeing.