The Blue Box: Ed Link and the Birth of Modern Aviation
An abridgment of Wicked Problems

The story of Ed Link—the unsung engineer who opened the skies for aspiring pilots—and an ode to the art of ingenuity.

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 more than half a million Allied Force pilots and revolutionized 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.

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The Blue Box: Ed Link and the Birth of Modern Aviation
An abridgment of Wicked Problems

The story of Ed Link—the unsung engineer who opened the skies for aspiring pilots—and an ode to the art of ingenuity.

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 more than half a million Allied Force pilots and revolutionized 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.

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The Blue Box: Ed Link and the Birth of Modern Aviation

The Blue Box: Ed Link and the Birth of Modern Aviation

by Guru Madhavan
The Blue Box: Ed Link and the Birth of Modern Aviation

The Blue Box: Ed Link and the Birth of Modern Aviation

by Guru Madhavan

Paperback

$19.99 
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Overview

An abridgment of Wicked Problems

The story of Ed Link—the unsung engineer who opened the skies for aspiring pilots—and an ode to the art of ingenuity.

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 more than half a million Allied Force pilots and revolutionized 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.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781324117940
Publisher: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date: 04/28/2026
Pages: 224
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)

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 prize–winning author of essays and books, including Wicked Problems and Applied Minds. He lives in Washington, DC.
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