I did not like the "management lesson" so early in the century (last) so that pits a little simplistic individual freedom (individual happiness limited temporal scope and therefore presented as vain) and "collective adventure" in Forced operation (presented as an access to a certain time).
In this sense the character Rivière, deliberately harsh leader with its employees, seemed a little too Manichean (despite its interesting existential questions and the presentation of his motivations).
A very good read, however, for the poetic side of that terrible night flight ...
