Welcome to the 16th edition of Airplane Mode, our weekly aviation newsletter. To all new subscribers, welcome and thank you for joining our community - tuning out noise, and increasing signal. This edition focuses on Pratt and Whitney and how they were pivotal leaders in the victory of WWII. Strategy and Innovation are central themes here. We are excited to introduce exclusive interviews with aviation leaders and video/audio features for our on-the-go readers - coming soon!

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Before we start the Pratt & Whitney saga, I want to thank all mothers for their unwavering support. Being a mom is not easy, and their hard work often goes unnoticed amidst the chaos of kids' activities. My own mother has been incredibly supportive in every decision I've made, from jumping out of airplanes and playing music, to pursuing a career in aviation. Without her, this article wouldn't exist. She has given me many books over the years, including the one I'm about to share with you all. Published in 1950, "The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Story" is a true gem that I hope you all enjoy as much as I have.

Please, if you have aviation books that you’re particularly fond of - share them with me directly, or even leave them in the comments. Would love to see the covers, or just some aviation stories in general - Pratt stories even better!

Pratt & Whitney: The Aviation Pioneers Who Fueled Allied Victory

America has reigned superior in the air for quite some time, and many would argue it’s the only way we have continued to be a superpower for such a long period of time - no other civilization or country has been on the top of the pyramid for this long. I am a friend to all, as we have readers in Portugal, Spain, Russia, Israel, Mexico, Canada and many more, but I am an American Patriot and a nationalist in the way that I want America to prosper (I want every country to prosper), and part of prospering is being able to travel freely, quickly, and unencumbered. How do we do that in today’s era? Aircraft of course!

As we move forward, we need to bring the young people into the fold of aviation and ensure that we have the talent, numbers, knowledge, and skills to be the number one innovators, propagators, and actualizers of aircraft at large. I have a feeling we are on the edge of some gigantic technological breakthroughs, especially regards to superconductivity, and this will allow for quite a few new models of air travel. In that spirit of remaining on top, and innovation, allow me to tell the story of the allied forces (UK, China, Soviet Union, France) triumph over the Nazi’s and the Luftwaffe.

Pratt & Whitney’s Secret Weapon Against Hitler’s Luftwaffe

Without further ado, the legendary American company - Pratt & Whitney. Back in WWII, as Hitler was unleashing his dreaded Luftwaffe upon Europe, the Allies desperately needed an edge to secure victory in the skies. They found their answer in Pratt & Whitney’s team of wildly innovative aviation engineers.

These envelope-pushing American pioneers had been advancing aircraft engine tech long before the war began. Visionaries like Frederick Rentschler and George Mead lived, ate and breathed aviation. Under their leadership, Pratt & Whitney developed total game-changers like the rugged Wasp engine that powered war heroes like the P-47 Thunderbolt. Compared to the Germans’ engines, Pratt’s were simply untouchable, with their unbeatable power and reliability. The Germans tried to back engineer the engines but the tolerances were too tight and the engines were too complex for their timeline.

Of course, this kind of tech doesn’t just appear overnight. For decades before the war, Pratt’s singular focus on innovation set the stage for Allied air dominance. Their engines were the secret weapon that enabled our boys to finally take down Hitler’s Luftwaffe for good. Beyond defeating tyranny abroad, their boundary-pushing work sparked revolutions in commercial and space flight right here at home. Truly amazing stuff!

So next time you’re passing through Connecticut, why not stop by Pratt’s vintage factory in Hartford? Step into history and celebrate the American aviation leadership that helped save the free world! Because without bold trailblazers like Pratt & Whitney, who knows what tongue we’d be speaking today!

Now - the good stuff! See the gallery below, excerpts from “The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Story” published 1950 by the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft division of the United Aircraft Corporation.

The Way of The Master

Last week we brought you Patrick Bet-David because he is a master and does know the way - but this week we bring you the OG. The Godfather of Aviation. The Don. The King of the Skies. “The Best Stick & Rudder Man Who Ever Lived”. Undisputed Champion Aviator, Mr. Robert “Bob” Anderson Hoover. Straight from the feathered edge - enjoy this video!

Ace Update

Ace came back home, and as predicted he’s a little banged up. We don’t know where he goes, or what he does - we just picture him army crawling through the jungle with a Rambo knife in his mouth. Chances are he’s in a turbine and a business suit and is wearing an undercover shirt-button camera and spooking for the agency some place in the cradle of civilization, but we love him all the same. He’s back to work, uniform on, and he’s ready to make it happen.

Inside the Castle Walls: Analyzing Moats

In business, a moat is a company's competitive advantage that gives it protection from competitors. Just like an actual moat, it's something that's hard for rivals to cross over.

Some examples of business moats:

• Brand Power - When customers are super loyal to a brand like Apple or Nike. Competitors have a hard time winning those customers over.

• Economies of Scale - When a company like Walmart gets so big it can produce and buy stuff way cheaper than little guys. Makes it tough for new companies to compete on price.

• Network Effect - When a service gets more valuable as more people use it, like Facebook. The bigger the user base, the tougher it is for a rival to displace it.

• High Switching Costs - If it's a huge hassle for a customer to switch from one product to another, like MS Office, they just stay put.

The wider and stronger the moat, the more protection it provides. Companies try to build the biggest moats they can to fend off the competition and protect profits.

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