Will we ever see another GREAT aircraft designer?

[Lucky13]

Is the time long gone for the likes of 'Kelly' Johnson, just to mention one? As Hall Hibbard once said: 'That d*mned Swede can actually see air!'...

 

[fubar57]

Probably down to dozens of Tech Geeks now Lucky. The one thing that riles me up when I read about aircraft designers, is that Mitchell was never knighted for the spitfire. I know that they aren't awarded posthumously but hey, c'mon.

Geo

 

[Lucky13]

True!
He should be at least be made a Saint now!

 

[evangilder]

There will always be someone who has a great idea. It's who can capitalize on it that makes a difference. But with many aircraft heading to unmanned types for military usage, I think you may see some shifts in how things are built since they won't have life supports systems and structures that will have to ease the G loads for the pilot. I think some of the things going on in the commercial space flight realm show promise for some interesting, and radical designs.

 

[Hotntot]

There will always be someone who has a great idea...I think some of the things going on in the commercial space flight realm show promise for some interesting, and radical designs.

Too true. Skylon is a new British venture. Let's hope it stays as such.

Reaction Engines Ltd : Space Propulsion Systems

 

[evangilder]

Aside from unmanned aircraft, which, while interesting, wont do much for airshows and recruitment, I think the commercial space venture market is going to really get going. It's good and bad, I guess as I have always been proud of NASA and what has been accomplished in that venture, but we simply cannot afford to fund that kind of thing anymore.

 

[Airframes]

I thought all aircraft designers had the same name these days - IBM CAD .........

 

[GrauGeist]

About the only modern name in aircraft design that comes to mind is Burt Rutan

 

[Capt. Vick]

IMHO After Burt Rutan, no. Everything is now designed by committee....

Does anyone remember the PBS program about the JSF? The behind the scenes shots of Boeing's design team were a joke. With the end result being that the plane they fielded was not going to be the plane they would end up building! They needed one strong guiding person there to demand that they design got frozen much earlier.

 

[Lucky13]

I think much will be lost in the air defence business, they need a few of them old....what you call them...bummer...them caracters, wild ones...

Got it! We need some them old mavericks again!

 

[GrauGeist]

The days of the "trial and error" designs are long gone...

The future of aircraft design is pretty much in the realm of computer diagnostics and construction design much along the lines of what Shinpachi is doing with his A6M5 CGI project.

 

[stona]

Aircraft have always been designed by teams. The Spitfire is no exception. In simpler times a team leader or chief designer had more overall control but to imagine that they alone designed an aeroplane would be a mistake.
Nowadays an new aircraft is a corporate project,just like a new iphone or laptop and has a brand name,not an individuals name,attached.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Matt308]

I thought all aircraft designers had the same name these days - IBM CAD .........

It's actually a French CAD program CATIA.