Are Aerospace Engineers Letting Us Down?

The other day I had an interesting conversation with an aerospace engineer and he was telling me that he and his colleagues in the UK were working on some revolutionary aircraft designs. Then recently I had another conversation with a gentleman about the structure, strength and flexibility of an insect wing, in particular an African Killer Bee. He said he had contacted a professional engineer on the subject, then I thought to myself about our aerospace engineers and their accomplishments and most recently their failures too.

So I said; Oh and your professional engineers? Yah, those SOBs built the Osprey remember? And remind me to get into a helicopter with no tail rotor, which blows air out the side as it comes into land making a right turn at under 75% power? I guess those professional engineers just forgot to mention these things. Should I go on with examples? I can for about 100 pages off the top of my head too.

You see the word professional brings out the worst in me. First the best aerospace engineers are not professional at all. Take Burt Rutan for instance, not professional, but he may as well be God when it comes to aerospace designs. So, I told my friend;

Professional Engineers, dump the chip on your shoulder. I'd like to see them design half the stuff I have that works and gets the job done efficiently in my industry. And lets look at facts take the Lockheed JSF with titanium bulkheads that crack? Oh isn't that special; real good for the Taxpayer on that? Could I do better, hell yes. The design is flawed and the costs are too high and it took too long and everything was done so professional. But no one wants to buy them do they?

The Saudis, UAE, Japanese, India are buyers perhaps and only because we are holding their hands to the fire and what about the British and Australians? Only if the price comes down after the US pays all the R and D? And professional engineers; speaking of which where are my nano-carbon tube materials? Huh? Professional engineers? Oh they are working on it? They can build something with one pound that would take anyone else ten pounds? Yah, sure, I've heard it all. Show me; no show me the money.

I am not impressed with mediocrity, weakness, or those who fall back on professional titles because they cannot get it done. Show me. I want results not pigeon heads who think they know everything that keep producing crap that does not work. So there is a little insight for you. His comments; well he said; No, Lance tell me how you really feel!

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

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