Why building a supersonic jet taught me software-like iteration is the key

Scholl argues that hardware development can be accelerated by treating engineering design as software—building custom tools with automated integration and simulation. His team created Makeboom to define aircraft in config files and run full simulations in minutes, drastically reducing iteration time.

This approach allowed a small team of 50 to achieve what previously required thousands. Vertical integration of machine shop and test assets further compressed cycles. The lesson for engineering leaders: investing in custom tooling and owning production can unlock speed even in regulated industries.

Such deep vertical integration and tooling investment is capital-intensive and risky. Not every team can afford to build its own machine shop. The strategy works when iteration speed is the critical bottleneck and when existing suppliers are slow or unreliable.

The regulatory strategy—engaging FAA early, making them partners—is a counterintuitive insight. Most startups avoid regulators or fight them. Scholl’s approach paid off with 90-minute flight approval, but requires trust and transparency that may not work in all contexts.