Today in History

May 02, 1952
The Africa Express
The first jet-powered commercial plane takes off from London bound for Johannesburg. The British Overseas Airways flight on the 36-passenger De Havilland Comet makes the 6,724-mile trip in just under 24 hours, or two-thirds the time taken by propeller-driven planes. That includes stops in Rome, Beirut, Sudan, Uganda and Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). After the flight, a passenger says to the New York Times "I have traveled a lot by air, but never experienced anything like this fatigue-free aircraft. It's marvelous."



Today's Feature History Article

Comet's Tale

A half century ago, the first jet airliner delighted passengers with swift, smooth flights until a fatal structural flaw doomed its glory




 



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