I question the assertion that rebuilding a plane in flight is not something we do.
It is, in fact, humanity in a nutshell. From birth, to death, we're cycling in and out. Learning, growing to appreciate institutions, coming to terms with the fact those don't maintain or steer/replace themselves, and most importantly, we cannot just wholesale drop many of them without causing chaos.
This person, to assert that such a phrase is meaningless or inaccurate, I think needs to sit back and reevaluate the fundamentals of their existence, and maybe try not believing in the hot air they're blowing, and seeing if reality ultimately catches up with them.
I find doing do on occasion keeps one well grounded.