The decrepit nature of the flight control system is just a good example of big government management of any large system is usually bound by inertia, self-interest, and lack of motivation to be ambitious and cutting edge.
There are/were of course brief spikes in govt-controlled entities acting with extreme motivation (1950's NASA, the Manhattan project, etc), but that's usually driven by a perceived dire national threat.
Comments moved to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50489641.
The decrepit nature of the flight control system is just a good example of big government management of any large system is usually bound by inertia, self-interest, and lack of motivation to be ambitious and cutting edge.
There are/were of course brief spikes in govt-controlled entities acting with extreme motivation (1950's NASA, the Manhattan project, etc), but that's usually driven by a perceived dire national threat.