alt Hacker NewsI liked his "Plane Crazy: Building a Plane in 30 Days" on PBS.
Watching him try (and fail) to build a composite airplane says so much about the allure of modern techniques (I won't spoil the end, but old-school gets the last laugh). I've been less than enthusiastic about modern composites ever since seeing this show.
Bob's attempt (and short temper) reveals a good deal of hubris on his part.
The documentary is a fascinating failure and a masterclass in attempting to salvage a show when the whole premise for the show completely collapses.
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Wow, I have a hazy memory of seeing this when I was a kid. Shocked I would ever see this again on HN of all places.
Watching now… wow what a throw back. Got a kick out of the 90s PBS vibe and the Chicago news! Thanks for posting
"Watching him try (and fail) to build a composite airplane "
But the plane did fly.
This is an amazing show.
If you're familiar with it, maybe you could answer one question: Cringely sourced a lot of the materials and know-how for the plane from American companies and workers. Would that be possible today?