Posted 9-1-2004 at 03:36 PM

When you think of commercial aviation do you think of the design and technology put into the large aircrafts you see taking you from one country to another? If you choose yes, you are correct. Commercial aviation has gone a long way. When you go to an airport and look at these gigantic planes what do you think? How could they build such large planes! Well the answer is experience and technology. Commercial aircrafts have started many years ago. Though the aircrafts were commercial they are not necessary airlines. Most of which being private companies.

In August of 1910 was the first civilian commercial flight. It was an experimental flight from Blackpool. Another attempt in 1911 had the first scheduled air mail service flying between London and Windsor flying a Farman biplane, and a Bleriot monoplane. This only had lasted 3 weeks. No further attempts at civilian commercial aviation occurred before the First World War in 1914. Through the end of the war in 1917, The Royal Flying Corps flew across the channel for VIP?s and mail using two De Havilland DH.4?s, becoming the first actual airplane for airlines.

The De Havilland DH.4

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The planes of the past did not have the great luxuries as we have today such as air conditioning, first class, meal service, and many other things that would take up this whole paragraph. In the past, if you were to have first class, which does not exist, that would not only be a good luxury but a royal attribute. These De Havilland planes however, fly at a very low rate of speed comparing to today?s jet airplanes. Service and luxury was not the goal of commercial airliners till the late 20?s when different airline companies started to emerge. Before then, it was all about getting to the destination.

The Jet Age had finally come. The 1950?s is a major breakthrough in commercial aviation, the first turboprop airliner and the very first jet airliner had aroused, the De Havilland Comet 1. Though the Jet Age had come, many airliners had not changed their propeller planes in exchange of jet planes. The Jet Age had come to a very bad start. Four of the De Havilland Comet 1?s had been destroyed, two of which landing, one in a thunderstorm, and one breaking apart taking off. After that incident, the Comet 1 was permanently grounded. That year also carried on Boeings 707, Douglas? DC8, and Tupelovs 104. October of 1958, is the first jet service across the North Atlantic by the Comet 4.


The first commercial jet, The Comet 1

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The 1960?s had come, all major airlines started to replace their aging piston engine types with jet airplanes. But not all are discarded, some were left for short regional flights. Then comes the Jumbo Jet! Also known as the Boeing 747-100 Widebody replacing the obsolete DC8. After the 747 comes the Convair CV-990 Coronado, the fastest subsonic commercial airliner ever traveling at a stunning 615 mph cruising speed. You think that's fast? Wait till October 1 1969, the first flight on the Concorde, the fastest commercial airplane ever, breaking the sound barrier.

Concorde

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Why don?t airliners today fly as fast as the Coronado? Well, That plane had four jet engines, using more gas than a dual jet would use. Meaning, theoretically it is less fuel efficient. Let?s look at a dual jet, the Boeing 777 flies between 565-585 cruising speed, that?s not as fast as 615, but you would save a lot more gas. Speed is not really the issue, it?s the service, luxury and most of all getting to your destination.

Commercial Aviation has gone a long way. We have the security of airports, making our commercial trip safer. We have flight control monitoring the airspace so airplanes don?t crash into each other, we even have a lot better scheduling in general. The best of all, the planes, what about the planes? Most commercial airplanes have most things digital. They have GPS navigation for autopilot, they have in flight television entertainment for long haul flights, food service, and most importantly, the lavatory. What will we do with out em? for a long flight, serving us drinks!
Commercial aviation has gone a very long way, and will be going a very long way. Now Cruising has a fantastic article about Boeing, and Airbus? future.


Boeing 747

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Well it's a great start. Some sentences and paragraphs are a bit awkward. And some facts are inaccurate. Which would need correcting.

Thanks! I fixed what needed to be fixed. Thanks again.

O yeah, another mistake! The concorde was not the first supersonic commercial aircraft! THe tupelov was!

Oh yea, missed that. But did the Tu-144 actually go into service?

I beleive so.