Airlines, Aviation, Pioneers - History of flight - Britannica
The company's inaugural flight occurred on Aug. 25, 1919, when the plane flew from London to Paris with its sole passenger, an enterprising newspaper reporter.
Handley Page H.P.42
The British also used airlines to knit together elements of their far-flung empire. During the 1920s, Imperial Airways mounted operations in Africa and the Middle East. Across trackless stretches of sparsely inhabited desert, creative surveyor crews shrewdly drove cars and trucks to create a visible track for pilots to follow; in some areas, they plowed furrows in the ground. Into the late 1930s, standard equipment on these routes was the stately <anchor>Handley Page H.P.42</anchor>, a biplane having a wingspan of 130 feet (40 metres) and four 490-horsepower Bristol Jupiter engines. Depending on seating arrangements, 24 to 38 passengers cruised along at about 100 miles (160 km) per hour over the plane’s 500-mile (800-km) range. The airline scheduled several days (including overnight stops) to travel from London to the Cape of South Africa by air, compared with some weeks by steamship. The route’s clientele characteristically included well-placed colonial officials and wealthy business travelers who expected first-class service. Consequently, the H.P.42’s passenger cabin featured dimensions nearly equal to the size of a Pullman railway car, and patrons appreciated plush wall-to-wall carpeting and a stand-up bar. Attentive stewards served seven-course meals.
Handley Page H.P.42 | aircraft | Britannica
Handley Page H.P.42 \| aircraft \| Britannica

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[Handley Page H.P.42](https://www.britannica.com/technology/Handley-Page-HP42)

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Contents


# Handley Page H.P.42

aircraft

## **Learn about this topic** in these articles:

### history of flight

- ![Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine](https://cdn.britannica.com/40/96240-050-142CC589/flying-machine-Leonardo-da-Vinci-plans-ornithopter.jpg?w=300)
In [history of flight: The first airlines](https://www.britannica.com/technology/history-of-flight/The-first-airlines#ref943556)
…these routes was the stately Handley Page H.P.42, a biplane having a wingspan of 130 feet (40 metres) and four 490-horsepower Bristol Jupiter engines. Depending on seating arrangements, 24 to 38 passengers cruised along at about 100 miles (160 km) per hour over the plane’s 500-mile (800-km) range. The airline…
[Read More](/technology/history-of-flight/The-first-airlines#ref943556)