Modern Aviation

On the 4th of June 1783 the Montgolfier brothers defied gravity for the first time in human history (Montgolfier brothers).   They took to the skies in a hot air balloon.   But it wasn’t until 1943, the launch of the first commercial airliner, that everyone was able to fly.   The Super Constellation a propeller driven airliner, was the first Airliner to get the general population into the air (Lockheed Constellation).   Powered by 4, 18 cylinder engines.   The Super Constellation was the marvel of the late forties and with it’s end came the end to the propeller driven area of airliner aviation (Lockheed Constellation).   In 1949 we entered the age of the jet engine and modern aviation.  
The British kicked off modern aviation with the DH 106 Comet, manufactured and designed by de Havilland in 1949, the very first jet powered passenger airliner to go into production (De Havilland Comet).   During it’s time, the Comet was a landmark in aeronautical design.   It featured an extremely aerodynamically engineered wing, and body style.   Powered by 4 turbojet engines tucked neatly inside the wing, the DH Commit was top of it’s class (de Havilland Comet).
The comet was a major success in its first year in the skies.   The Commit looked to be the star airliner of the 1950s, however a few short years after its introduction the Comet started suffering from catastrophic metal fatigue (de Havilland Comet).   With the pressure on the cabin at high attitudes the plane wasn’t able to hold together, causing two well publicized accidents where the aircraft was ripped apart mid flight (de Havilland Comet).   The comet never overcame its design flaws and production ended.
With the failure of the DH 106, an American company, Boeing, would make a name for itself.   If de Havilland couldn’t control the skies it would be Boeing, and they did just that with the introduction of the Boeing 707 aircraft.   On May 14, 1954 the 707 took its first flight and within the next year airlines around the...