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The Blue Box
Ed Link and the Birth of Modern Aviation
Brief Description
After the Wright brothers helped America "find her wings," the early days of aviation were fraught with disaster. That is, until 1929, when Ed Link invented the flight simulator, which allowed pilots to train on the ground. Dubbed the "blue box," the Link Trainer forged over...
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The Blue Box
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See moreThe story of Ed Link—the unsung engineer who opened the skies for aspiring pilots—and an ode to the art of ingenuity
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Description
After the Wright brothers helped America "find her wings," the early days of aviation were fraught with disaster. That is, until 1929, when Ed Link invented the flight simulator, which allowed pilots to train on the ground. Dubbed the "blue box," the Link Trainer forged over half a million Allied Force pilots and revolutionised aviation.
Link's later work—from the Apollo missions to deep-sea submersibles—reengineered twentieth-century America. Rich with lessons for today's creators, The Blue Box reinvigorates the legacy of a man who transformed our access to the skies, stars, and sea.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781324117940
Publisher: WW Norton & Co
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 28 April 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: WW Norton & Co
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 13.0mm
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 211.0mm
Weight: 182g
Pages: 184
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About the Author
Guru Madhavan is the Norman R. Augustine Senior Scholar and senior director of programs at the National Academy of Engineering. He is a prizewinning author of essays and books including Wicked Problems, from which The Blue Box is excerpted, and Applied Minds. He lives in Washington, DC.
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