Jet Age - Use of The Term

Use of The Term

The term "jet age" was first coined in the late 1940s, before the appearance of any jet airliners. At the time, the only jet-powered aircraft were military types, most of which were fighter designs. The expression reflects the recognition that the jet engine had effected, or would soon, a profound change in aeronautics and aviation. In the history of military aviation, the "jet age" began in 1944, during World War II, when the first jet fighters and bombers entered service whereas for commercial aviation the "jet age" began in the late 1950s.