For almost two decades, there has been growing interest in what design-based research (DBR) can contribute to both educational practice and theory. Since its introduction into the literature, this orientation to educational research has repeatedly been likened to aeronautical engineering as a way to clarify its nature and argue its potential. This paper critically examines for the first time how the aeronautics analogy both strengthens and hampers thinking about educational research and design. Three cases from the history of aeronautical engineering are used to highlight similarities and differences between the two fields, and lessons are drawn from the development of aeronautics that may help DBR to fulfill its long-term potential. Principally, it is argued that design researchers must report the failure of designs much more frequently and in a more informative way, and that a critical audience for informative reports of design failure is indispensable to the progress of educational design research. (Contains 8 figures and 1 note.)