Metals will break under a load which is repeatedly applied and then removed, though they can support a much larger steady load without. This is a largely a myth caused by an incomplete reading of the accident report. It was not only the first jet airliner, but many regard it as one of the most beautiful aircraft of all time. Galyp yoke peter this was the first comet 1 delivered to boac back in 1952. As piston propeller technology was reaching its limits, the conventional thinking was that jet. In an age of propellers, this britishmade jet had four turbojet. Originally designed to house 101 passengers, as a charter airliner in its later life it had a capacity of 119. An insight into the design, construction and maintenance of the worlds first jet airliner owners workshop manual first edition by brian rivas isbn. There were 14 passengers and seven crew members on board. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. The comet was one of the first pressurized commercial aircraft, and once the catastrophic metal fatigue problem was solved it offered passengers a very comfortable flight. Over 60 years ago, the first jet airliner took to the skies, doomed by a fatal flaw. The entire forward fuselage section was tested for metal fatigue by repeatedly pressurising. Its introduction into boac service in may 1952 was greeted as the dawning of a new age in passenger travel.
Unfortunately, due to a severe metal fatigue problem caused by inadequate design, poor construction and structural failure, this comet broke apart above the island of elba in italy only minutes after taking off from rome ciampino international airport. Issues including inadequate riveting were identified, and this led to a major redesign of the aircraft. Why you wouldnt want to fly the first jet airliner. The fallout of boac flight 781 grounded all comet 1s and comet.
The dehavilland comet disaster a story of fatigueaerospace. History of jet flight and the issue of metal fatigue. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Obviously metal fatigue itself wasnt a new phenomenon. The two disasters were a blow from which the company never really recovered. There were 29 passengers and six crew members on board. The earliest production aircraft designated galyp was loaned to the british overseas airways company and inaugurated the first scheduled overseas flight from london to johannesburg with farepaying customers onboard.
The airplane operated on a flight from romaciampino airport cia to cairofarouk airport cai. It had a number of new features which are now accepted as part of modern aircraft design, but at the time set a completely new trend. By the time the comet retired in the year 1997, it had revolutionised modern aviation. Being relatively quiet and cutting flight times by a considerable margin she was an immediate market pleaser. An insight into the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the worlds first jet airliner owners workshop manual rivas, brian on. Fatigue has traditionally been associated with the failure of metal components which led to the term metal fatigue. The comet design was finalized in 1945, as the british aircraft industry was attempting to establish a commercial aircraft industry postworld war ii. Cockpit poster of dehavilland aircraft available as a print or digital download. Lessons from some of the biggest hardware screwups. Lack of technical knowledge available at the time specifically incomplete understanding of how aircraft pressurization would induce metal fatigue. Pressure to get the aircraft flying again resulted in ineffective analysis by the initial enquiry. In the nineteenth century, the sudden failing of metal railway axles was thought to be caused by the metal crystallising because of the brittle appearance of the fracture surface, but this has since been disproved.
This highprofile incident encouraged much work in the field of fatigue, and has led to a much better understanding of the science of fatigue and the use. The airplane operated on a flight from romaciampino airport cia to london airport lhr. The design was tested using the techniques available at the time and fatigue was accounted for by testing a section of cabin structure. Galyp yoke peter this was the first comet 1 delivered to. This reign however was short lived when disaster struck on january 10 th 1954. The thin aluminium used on the comet was tested extensively and chosen because of the excellent results of test and the lightweight quality the material brought affording more efficiency in flying costs. The dehavilland comet crash aerospace engineering blog. Unfortunately, due to a severe metal fatigue problem caused by inadequate design, poor.
After the conclusive evidence revealed in the inquiry that metal fatigue concentrated at the corners of the aircrafts windows had caused the crashes, all aircraft were redesigned with rounded windows. It was introduced as the flagship aircraft on the routes of the british overseas airways corporation, and was hailed as a triumph of british engineering. The dehavilland comet was the first production commercial jet airliner that went into service in 1952. What they didnt allow for was the additional cyclical stress at the wing attachments and the effect that had on fuselage fatigue life. The airline also built the dh88 comet racer that became famous as the.
The redesigned comet 4 entered service in 1958, and proved to be a reliable and safe airliner. In the meantime, the american aircraft manufacturer, boeing, had. A number of technical advances had to be made to enable the aircraft to fly, and these stretched the scientific knowledge of the time to the limit. They had rounded corners and were very similar to windows fitted to modern airliners.
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