When the Method Becomes the Problem

How an amateur's trial-and-error approach outdid engineering professionals in the quest for human-powered flight.

The art of aircraft construction was well-advanced by 1976. That year, the Concorde became the first supersonic passenger aircraft to commence regular flight operations. It carried its passengers from London or Paris to New York at more than twice the speed of sound in a record time of 3 to 3.5 hours—twice as fast as before. Yet, a seemingly much simple…