How did the de Havilland Comet begin the era of commercial jet transport?

The de Havilland Comet inaugurated the era of commercial jet transport by becoming the world’s first civil jet airliner, with its maiden flight occurring on July 27, 1949. Developed by the De Havilland Aircraft Company following a 1943 British government specification for a postwar transatlantic mailplane, the 36-seat aircraft demonstrated a significant technological leap, capable of cruising at 500 miles (800 km) per hour.12

By successfully integrating jet engine technology into a passenger-carrying design, Britain initially gained a major lead in the global aviation market. However, this pioneering era faced a critical setback in 1954 when a series of crashes, ultimately attributed to metal fatigue in the pressure cabin, led to the aircraft's withdrawal from service. While the Comet 4 later resumed service in 1958, the early dominance of the British jet was eventually eclipsed by larger, faster American competitors like the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8.21