Any design, whether it's for a ship or an airplane, must be done in anticipation of potential failures.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Engineering is achieving function while avoiding failure.
We call the fates of the Titanic and the Concordia - as well as those of the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia - 'accidents.' Foreseeing such undesirable events is what engineers are expected to do. However, design trade-offs leave technological systems open to failings once predicted, but later forgotten.
At various times over 20 years, I did preliminary designs for aircraft like the Stratolaunch. For that whole time I was encouraging us to do something that almost everyone else felt you could not do.
Is the proposed operation likely to succeed? What might the consequences of failure? Is it in the realm of practicability in terms of material and supplies?
Recognizing the need is the primary condition for design.
My experience of ships is that on them one makes an interesting discovery about the world. One finds one can do without it completely.
Design has taken the place of what sailing used to be.
We produce motor drive electronics; we produce cargo systems for large narrow-body and wide-body airplanes and, more importantly, the emergency escape chute that goes on these planes.
Design is an unknown.
A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.
No opposing quotes found.