Aircraft - Aviation - Balloons - Helicopters

1958 - First flight of the New Comet 4: The new Comet, piloted by Mr. John Cunningham yesterday made a successful first flight at De Havilland's airfield at Hatfield. It took off at 6.15 pm and flew for one hour 23 minutes. This is the first nineteen Comets now being built for service with British Overseas Airways Corporation. After landing Mr. Cunningham said the Comet behaved splendidly on its maiden flight, during which he put the aircraft through a series of preliminary handling trails and verified the correct functioning of the various aircraft systems. Delivery of the first Comets to B.O.A.C. are studying also the possibility of putting the Comets on the North Atlantic route between London and New York. The Comet 4 is powered by four Rolls-Royce Avon RA 29 Mark 524 engines each delivering 10, 500 lb. of thrust. Its cruising speed is 510 mph and the normal cruising altitude is between 38, 000 and 42, 000 fest. With a payload of 56 first - class passengers and 8, 400 lb. of mail and freight, and with fuel reserves for climb, descent, stand off the diversion, the Comet 4 can fly 3000 miles in still air. The Comet 4 can accommodate up to 76 passengers in two large compartments but the BOAC version will be readily convertible to take either 56 passengers in a spacious first - class forward and 43 tourists aft) or 71 tourist class passengers. Photo shows view of the new comet 4 during yesterday's test flight

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3000 Accommodate Altitude Avon B.o.a.c Behaved Boac Climb Comet Comets Compartments Convertible Correct Cruising Cunningham Delivering Descent Diversion Either Flew Freight Functioning Handling Hatfield Havillands Maiden Minutes Nineteen Normal Payload Piloted Possibility Preliminary Readily Reserves Rolls-royce Spacious Splendidly Studying Thrust Trails Verified

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