de Havilland Comet
Last updated: 2026-04-21
The de Havilland Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner, entering service with BOAC in 1952 and ushering in the jet age before metal fatigue caused catastrophic in-flight breakups that transformed aircraft structural design. It is a workhorse of European EASA general-aviation training fleets, used at both DTO and ATO operators for hour-building and rating progression. undefined
What is the de Havilland Comet used for in flight training?
The Comet holds a unique place in aviation history as the aircraft whose catastrophic structural failures led to the science of metal fatigue investigation that underpins modern aircraft certification. Comet pilots at BOAC were among the first to undergo jet transport training at a time when no previous jet transport training syllabi existed. The lessons of the 1954 Comet accidents directly shaped the aviation safety legislation and aircraft design standards that protect every modern jet passenger today.