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Amen! I have been singing this tune for years. Imagine if NASA designed surface transport. We would have one size vehicle, whether you were moving ton lots of potatos across the country or commuting across town. Aside from military necessity, the main federal driver in airplane design was the airmail contract. Gov't did not design, build or invest in airframe construction. It just dangled lucrative airmail contracts and announced that if you could demonstrate a reliable aircraft, you could get a shot at one of the contract routes. Hundreds of companies tried, 99% went bust, a few got fabulously wealthy, and the taxpayer paid not a farthing for all this furious competition. Had NASA been in charge of that, we would probably be breathlessly anticipating the introduction any day now (as soon as we run a few more tests) of the Ford Trimotor.

I pretty much agree with your post, but don't you think NASA was pretty good in the early days? I wonder what's changed, they seemed inspired and excited back then. Perhaps it is as you say, the perceived competition (against the Russians) is gone.