Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed

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Despite the Tom Clancy recommendation glaring on the cover of this edition, Skunk Works isn't a bad read. Whatever the writing skills of engineer Rich, cowriter Janos's collaboration with him resulted in an engrossing text. Of course I've long had a special interest in the history of espionage, so the subject-matter went far towards keeping me involved. Skunk Works is one of those phrases which sets aviation fans' hearts a-flutter. The secretive engineering team from Burbank was responsible for some of the most incredible planes of all times. The SR-71 was built in the 1960s, and it remains the highest flying, fastest plane in aviation. It's a marvel of engineering built with slide rules. The new factory is Skunk Works’ first since the 1980s. Instead of being designed to assemble a specific aircraft, the building has no fixed machines or tooling, which means it can be easily reconfigured to host new projects, Babione said. The new facility makes up a small portion of Skunk Works’ footprint in the desert. Sitting on a table-flat square of land surrounded by sun-bleached highways, where the temperature soared to 105 degrees during the visit, Skunk Works is actually a collection of 58 buildings spread out over 2.4 million square feet.

A fascinating insights into the very secretive Skunk Works. Covering mostly the famous U2, SR-71 and F-117 with a bunch of side stories. Going Skunk describes an enriched environment intended to help a small group of individuals design new ideas. The team should be able to collocate in a small, yet well-equipped office. Co-location reinforces strong and productive team dynamics. People feel more comfortable when working close and face to face. Also, they can argue better, focusing more on creativity and results than on playing by the rules of the parent organization. #4 Stay away from outsidersAfter arriving at the visitor’s center, guests are escorted — sometimes by van, often through underground tunnels, always under close watch — throughout the campus to avoid seeing too much. Roughly 85 percent of the work done here is classified. Skunk Works allows creative people to try their crazy ideas—which can lead to groundbreaking results. From starter-level training to in-depth ESG reporting, explore more than 30 sustainability classes, credentials and ... Proponents of this approach to innovation say skunkworks projects enable teams to fully break from their usual routines, a separation of duties that enables them to deliver the kind of innovations that Johnson's team did during World War II. Isolation also encourages risk-taking and rapid experimentation. No idea is too wild to try. That’s the attitude that leads to bigger and better things.

There must be a minimum number of reports, but important work must be recorded thoroughly. Also, there should be a monthly cost review of what’s been spent but also on the estimated costs to the conclusion of the project. This way, you can stay on top of costs and expenditures, and you will have no surprises. #6 Deliver early and continuouslyAside from that, this book appeals to the avio-geek in me and provide loads of interesting information on the how and why of exotic airplane development. The lift-and-shift approach moves an app and its data from one environment to another. Understanding what's involved can help a ... Designate a leader and provide them with full control of the project, in all aspects. “He/she must only report to a division president or higher.” This move is only possible if there is trust. Without trust in the leader and his/her team, people outside the project, including the customer, will intervene in a counter-productive manner. #2 Viciously minimize the team This is a “behind-the-scenes” look at how the United States’ most successful planes were created. The book explains in simple terms WHY the engineering was so impressive and how a group of motivated men managed to create planes that are unmatched even to this day. You certainly don’t have to be an engineer to find the book intriguing. Both engineers and folks who hate math will find this book a fascinating read. I’d highly recommend this to anyone who has the least interest in American history as I believe the story in “Skunk Works” is one everyone should know.