The invention of the jet engine had a profound social effect on the
world. Commercial jet aircract revolutionized travel, opening up every
corner of the planet. Millions were able to travel anywhere in the
world. Few know the jet engine was invented by an Englishman in 1929,
with the first jet airliner being the British de Havilland Comet.
Britain then gave the technology away, not only to the United States,
but also to the Soviet Union. Jet engines came on the scene just when
conventional piston engines had reached their physical limits. In a
masterstroke of simplification, the jet engine replaced all the
over-worked components with one moving part. The result delivered a
smooth flow of power. The dream of cheap, exotic travel might have been
realized, but there were downsides to the world-reaching power of
aircraft. In 2020, the effects of COVID-19 had brought the aviation
industry to a sudden halt. Taking a look at its history and how the
world has changed since its invention, it is time to appraise the Age of
the Jet.