Expert Opinion
Burt Rutan: The Measure of His Success
How does one measure the success of an airplane designer? Was John Thorp a success because he designed, among many others, the airplane (his T-16 of the m

How does one measure the success of an airplane designer?

Was John Thorp a success because he designed, among many others, the airplane (his T-16 of the mid-1950s) that spawned tens of thousands of Piper Cherokees? Was Kelly Johnson more successful as a designer because he conceived the Mach 3+ SR-71 Blackbird? Or Joe Sutter for the Boeing 747? Reginald Mitchell for the graceful, nation-saving Spitfire? Stelio Frati for the unfailingly seductive sport airplanes he brought to life over the course of some 60 years? All great designers, unquestionably.

Nigel Moll
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