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Where does space begin? How big is the universe? |
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Aerodynamics Questions How does a wing work? What exactly do you mean by angle of attack? Since a wing stalls at high angles of attack, how is it possible for an airplane to perform a loop or similar maneuver without stalling? I would like to know the formula to calculate the lift produced by an airplane's wing or helicopter's rotor (make the terms as easy to understand as possible). I have a further question regarding the earlier answer on the lift formula. You use the same equation for an airplane and a helicopter, but what if the helicopter is in hover? The velocity in hover is zero, so the lift must also be zero according to this equation. Is there a way to estimate the drag coefficient using Thin Airfoil Theory? I know that lift coefficient is estimated as 2*pi*alpha, but does Thin Airfoil Theory even predict a value for the drag coefficient? Why do we use Mach number as a reference for speed, and not just simply knots, kph or mph etc.? I know the drag increases around Mach 1, giving the impression once upon a time that there was a barrier there. Is that the only reason? What is the meaning of the word streamlining? How can you define aerodynamics and how it is different from streamlining? What is aerodynamics? Does the shape of the nose on a rocket affect how high it goes? What is a vortex generator? What exactly is the purpose of the small wing? What is the effect of a notch or sawtooth on the leading edge of a wing? What are the advantages of these devices for high-speed military and commercial aircraft? What is a slat segment for? I have noticed many times that the flaps at takeoff go down less than compared to landing even though surely enough the plane is heavier at takeoff. Why would this be so? Can you explain what adverse aileron yaw is and what factors cause it? During a space shuttle launch, they say that the shuttle has reached "max-q." What does that mean? What does Max Q mean? What is meant by the term finite aspect ratio (2D) or infinite aspect ratio (3D) on an airfoil's coefficient of lift? Is this difference related to the air coming around the wing at the tip? Can a pilot hear anything inside the cockpit when breaking the sound barrier? Is there such a thing as a channel plane? What is "aircraft icing" and how does it affect an airplane? Airfoil Questions An airfoil is a cross-sectional shape used on wings and other streamlined surfaces. The questions answered below discuss the different types of airfoils, how they are designed and analyzed, and their various applications. What is a supercritical airfoil? How would you compute the lift of an experimental airfoil? I need to know the lift and drag of a symmetric airfoil as a function of the angle of attack from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. I have seen tables for 0° < alpha < 15°, but I need it up to 90 degrees. Where can I find these tables? Atmospheric Properties Questions How does the air density affect an airplane? What is the speed of sound? What is the sound barrier? How fast do you have to go to break the sound barrier? How fast is the speed of sound at ground level? Does sound travel faster through a solid, a liquid, or a gas? What is the atmospheric pressure inside a typical commercial airliner? Whenever I fly and the airplane is descending from altitude, my ears and forehead hurt so badly I feel like my head will explode. Why is that? Flight Dynamics Questions What is the meaning of the term "g force"? How would I calculate the speed of an object upon contact with the Earth's surface, like if it fell from the top of a building? Can you explain what adverse yaw is and how to solve it? Do aircraft with piston engines or turboprops experience torque effects like helicopters do? Aircraft Performance Questions Why is it that when an airplane is at a bank angle of 60 degrees, the loading on it has been doubled regardless of its speed? Propulsion Questions Why do many turbofan engines on airliners have a painted white spiral or bar on the spinner? What is that swirly thing painted on the fan of a jet engine? Why do different aircraft have different numbers of propeller blades on their engines? What is the difference between a jet engine and a rocket engine? Can you explain how various jet engines work, including the turbojet, turbofan, turboprop, and turboshaft? In particular, what is the difference between a turbojet and a turbofan and which is more efficient? What is the difference between two dimensional and axisymmetric nozzles? How does a rocket fly? Why is aluminum used in solid rocket propellants? What is the role of aluminum agglomeration in the combustion of propellants? Can you explain overexpansion and underexpansion of the flow exhausted from a nozzle? What is the convention that dictates these definitions? Helicopter Questions Can you please explain how a helicopter moves forward? The blades of the helicopter rotate around the vertical axis, so it generates a vertical lift force. Then how do you get forward motion? What does the helicopter term "engine overtorque" mean? Spacecraft Questions What do astronauts do on the space station? How do space vehicles get to different planets? What kind of computers or equipment guide them there? Vehicle Design Questions Can you please explain the different parts of an aircraft, such as the wing, horizontal tail, vertical tail, and fuselage? How is the center of gravity of an airplane calculated? I was wondering is there a safer way to design an airplane that is somewhat more crash resistant? Electronics Questions What is the purpose of the lights on the outside of a plane? What does radar cross section mean? What does it have to do with stealth? Instrumentation Questions How do you measure g's? What is the difference between airspeed, true airspeed, equivalent airspeed, calibrated airspeed, indicated airspeed, and ground speed? Which of these speeds does a pilot see in the cockpit? Shipping & Hydrodynamics Questions Vehicles traveling through water encounter many of the same phenomena as those traveling through air. This section includes questions describing hydrodynamic principles related to the forces acting on objects in motion through water. Also included here are topics discussing the history of ships and other nautical subjects. Aerospace History Questions Accident Investigation Questions What material is the black box made from and how does the box function? If the black box is indestructible, couldn't the plane be made out of it too? Astronomy Questions Astronomy is the science that studies the stars, planets, and other bodies of the heavens. This section is intended to address subjects ranging from the structure of various celestial bodies to the methods scientists use while observing the universe. What are some good sources for astronomy pictures? Do the planets and moons in our solar system tend to orbit and rotate in the same plane? If so, what would be the cause of such uniformity? Why do all the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction? What are the colors of the planets? 1. How did you choose to become an aerospace engineer? I was always interested in flight as a child--both aircraft and space travel. Some of my favorite toys and hobbies included model airplanes, model rocketry, paper airplanes, and Legos (the toy of future engineers!). As I got into junior high and high school, I started sketching out my own ideas for future air and spacecraft as well as reading books and magazines about military aircraft, airplane design and construction, space travel, aviation history, and the aerospace industry. From about the seventh grade, I knew that I wanted to work on projects like those I'd been reading about, and I never really wanted to do anything else throughout high school and college. 2. What universities would you recommend to a student who wants to become an aerospace engineer? I think the best advice I could give in this area is to find the best school for the lowest cost possible! I was lucky enough to live near a state university ranked in the top 10 in almost all engineering fields, so I got a great education at in-state tuition prices. Some of the better aerospace engineering schools at more affordable prices include the Universities of Michigan, Illinois, Arizona, Maryland, Washington, California (Davis), and Missouri (Rolla) as well as Purdue. Other schools that I'd highly recommend, although I think they're expensive no matter what, include MIT, Stanford, and CalTech. Embry-Riddle's campuses in Florida and Arizona are also pretty good though quite expensive (as my former cubicle mate can attest to). One of the best places to get a good idea of the best schools in a given field is the US News yearly college rankings. 3. Outside of formal engineering training, what kinds of courses do you think would be beneficial? I'd recommend getting a good background in mathematics and physics, but you pretty much get that through your engineering courses anyway. Beyond that, computer skills are very desirable. I only had to learn one computer language through my coursework, but I found it useful to take classes in two others on the side, and the more you know, the more popular you'll be during the job hunt! Outside of technical coursework, communication classes like speech or writing are nice to have because they give you experience in expressing your ideas more effectively. 4. What does it take to become a professional engineer (PE) in the field of aerospace engineering? The PE requirements are pretty standard across enginering disciplines, as far as I know. Very few aerospace engineers actually bother to become a PE. The reason is that a PE license is required by someone who has to officially approve engineering design specifications, usually someone self-employed or working for a small business. Most aerospace engineers work for big companies or the government and therefore do not need to become PEs. The requirements are to pass a Fundamentals of Engineering exam (that takes a grueling four hours), work under a licensed PE for four years (difficult to do in the aerospace field because there are so few PEs to work under), and then take a Principles and Practice of Engineering exam (this one requiring eight hours). 5. How long did it take to find a job? I began seriously looking for a job during my junior year of college and managed to get an internship with NASA for the summer before my senior year. The process of interviewing with college recruiters and applying for internships gave me a lot of good experience in writing a résumé and knowing how to get the attention of employers. I used that experience to get some good interviews at companies like Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing during my senior year, and I had a pretty good full-time job offer about two months before I graduated. Counting all that interviewing for internships and a full-time job, it covered a period of about a year and a half. However, I decided to go to graduate school instead. I probably spent only six months looking for a job this time around, and I ended up getting many more quality interviews and job offers than I had before. At the other extreme, I have several friends who graduated and were out of school for six months before they found a job. Sometimes it's just a matter of luck that your résumé happens to fall into the right hands. If you are diligent about putting your résumé on the web and having it listed on job search sites (such as those listed here) as well as major search engines like Google and Yahoo, you'll be one step ahead of most of your peers. 6. What is the salary like? Looking at all branches of engineering, aerospace engineers on average are in the middle of the pay scale. Starting salaries for someone just graduating from college around the year 2000 typically range from $40,000 to $50,000 with a bachelors degree, $45,000 to $55,000 with a masters degree, and $50,000 to $60,000 with a doctorate. Experienced people usually make anywhere from $75,000 to $150,000 or more depending on their experience and seniority. 7. Is there a high demand for engineers in this field? Aerospace is a very cyclical industry. When the economy is strong and airlines or the military are buying large numbers of planes, there is a very high demand for new engineers. When those markets dry up, as they did in the early 90s, the demand for new engineers plummets. You can see this interdependence reflected in college enrollments--my class entered school in 1994 towards the tail end of the big aerospace recession that followed the end of the Cold War, and very few people enrolled in aerospace. My class graduated about 25 people in 1998. In 2001, that same program graduated nearly 100 because of the growth in the industry. I think we're entering a new stage where demand will decrease a bit, but by the time you finish school, demand will probably be high again. Regardless, so long as you are good at what you do and you look hard enough, there will always be someone willing to give you a job. 8. What do you enjoy most about aerospace engineering and engineering in general? What I enjoy most is the variety of work and opportunities to do so many different kinds of things. I do a lot of work in conceptual design, or being given some set of needs and thinking up ways to meet them using existing technology or cutting-edge new ideas. If a project really takes off, you could end up working on it for years, or you may hand it off to another person so you can work on something else. There's always new projects coming along so you almost never get tired of what you're working on. I've also had the opportunity to work on flight simulation projects and flight testing. I know other aerospace engineers who work on race cars, boats and submarines, hovercraft, satellites, bridges and tall buildings, robotics, lasers, sporting goods products, and so on. I think you'll find that in engineering in general and aerospace in particular, there's always going to be something new and exciting to do. 1. What hours do you work? In general, our hours are similar to any office-type work environment. We typically work a 40-hour week. Although most people come in around 7 or 8 and leave around 4 or 5, some have to come in much earlier or stay much later depending on the kind of work they do. For example, some of the projects I've worked on have needed me to come in at 5 AM or stay until 10 PM. Luckily there's only been one day I had to do both! 2. How much time do you spend on a computer? Most of the work we do is done on computers, but that can vary a lot depending on the projects you work on. Some of the work I've done has involved a lot of computer programming so I spent all my time on computers. I've also been involved with flight testing which is more "hands-on" and I spent more time working on the aircraft or in a laboratory. Even then, however, the equipment we use is primarily the computer systems aboard the aircraft. 3. What kinds of traveling do you have to do? Typical travel includes going to technical conferences where experts from universities, companies, and government research institutions present papers on their work. The other most common type of travel is visiting companies or government offices to talk to people about projects or participate in design reviews and testing. For example, companies send people to government institutions so they can see tests of the products they make and the government sends people to contractors offices and factories to make sure they are doing the necessary design work. Some people also go overseas to discuss projects with foreign customers, military allies, or corporate partners. Most trips are usually a few days or a week in duration, but they can be much longer. For example, people who go to do wind tunnel tests may be there for a month or more since these tests often take a long time to complete. 4. How long does it take to climb up the corporate ladder? In both industry and government, people have two basic choices in their career path--technical and management. We all generally start out doing technical engineering work, the kinds of things you'd expect engineers to do: designing new equipment, computer programming, wind tunnel testing, analyzing data, etc. Some people are so good at this kind of work that they become highly-paid technical experts who are very well respected in their field of expertise. Others go into management and are responsible for overseeing technical people, making sure there are enough people to get the work done, proposing future projects, and making the decisions that keep an organization moving. It typically takes about 5 to 15 years of technical experience before someone is promoted to a management position. 5. What are the pros and cons of your job? The biggest pro is the opportunity to try so many different things and work on such unique and sophisticated projects. Other advantages include a good salary, a good benefits package, and lots of paid holidays! I've also had the opportunity to travel to several interesting places for conferences, presentations, meetings, and training classes. There are a few cons. For one, aerospace engineers generally can't live wherever they want since the jobs are only available in a few areas. The job can also be very stressful at times, especially when you need to work late to get a project finished. The most boring thing many of us engineers have to do is write and review reports and technical documents. Even though I'm a pretty good writer and enjoy writing, some of the reports can be rather long and dull. 6. What are the day-to-day responsibilities of an aerospace engineer? This is difficult to answer because it varies widely depending on the type of job one does. However, aerospace engineers predominantly work in one of two major branches of the field: aeronautical engineering (projects related to vehicles operating in the atmosphere) or astronautical engineering (projects related to vehicles operating in space). Aeronautical engineers tend to work on projects like wind tunnel tests, the design of aircraft or their components, analyzing flight test data, building and testing engines or rocket motors, predicting aerodynamic behavior using computers, designing flight control systems, making performance predictions for aircraft, and working on flight simulators. Typical projects an astronautical engineer might perform include designing power systems for satellites, analyzing spacecraft structures, developing communications systems for distant space probes, designing new rockets and manned space vehicles, planning future space missions, developing hardware and skills for spacecraft operations, designing and testing robotic systems, developing new propulsion systems, and computing optimum flight trajectories. More mundane tasks we have to do are the same as those you'll find in any career--writing reports and giving presentations on the work you've done or future work that needs to be done, attending conferences and meetings, etc. 7. What kinds of projects do you work on? I mainly work on studying the aerodynamics of different kinds of flying vehicles. I use various computer programs to design parts of those vehicles, study how the air flows around them, perform trade-off studies to optimize the performance, and determine if the final product will meet the needs and requirements placed on it. I've also done some flight testing where my job is to collect data during the flights and study it to make sure everything works the way it's supposed to or figure out what could be wrong when it doesn't. 8. What drives you to work in the field you do? I've always loved aviation and space flight since I was a kid, and I'm constantly trying to learn more about those fields. I wanted to understand how wings create lift, how engines make things move, and how the computers inside tell the vehicle where to go. Now I get to work on aircraft all day while I get paid for it! 1. I want to know the careers in aerospace/aeronautical industry? What type of job can you get with this career? This previous question gives a pretty good overview of the types of jobs available in aerospace engineering. In particular, check out the links towards the bottom of the page that provide several general overviews and examples of particular careers. In addition to aeronautical and aerospace engineers, the industry also employs other kinds of engineers (especially mechanical, electrical, computer, chemical, materials, and manufacturing engineers), technicians and machinists, and of course pilots, to name a few. We're not experts on most of these careers, so we focus primarily on aerospace engineering in the career questions on our site. 2. What is a job description for an aerospace engineer? Since aerospace engineers may be needed to do a variety of different kinds of tasks, there is no single all-inclusive job description. Below are a few sample want ads pulled off of various job search sites. They present a fairly representative selection of some more common types of positions in the field. Conduct aerodynamics/performance analysis for military programs. Responsibilities include analyzing aerodynamics impacts due to external modifications, developing mission profiles based on customer requirements; mission performance data including takeoff and landing data, enroute; and mission performance data. Analyze configurations using computational fluid dynamics. Additional tasks may include support for wind tunnel and flight test planning, test support, data analysis & documentation; aerodynamics coordination with multi-discipline teams; and providing aerodynamics data to support flight management system and/or mission planning software. Candidates will have strong knowledge and practical experience in spacecraft operations, dynamics, and controls; familiarity with MATLAB, modeling of flexible dynamics (NASTRAN exposure preferred), and the space environment. Candidates will use their background in dynamics, control, and spacecraft operations to contribute to a number of projects in the areas of structural control, momentum control, line-of-sight (LOS) pointing control of spaceborne payloads, spacecraft mission design, and operational engineering. You will be expected to participate in the engineering development and support of new products within our proven phased development process, including diagnostics, proof of concept, and implementation. Perform stress analysis on aircraft (metallic and composite) structures. Duties would include stress analysis using both classical and FEM analysis tools, static and fatigue test predictions and regressions, and certification report preparation. Candidate must have complete familiarity with typical aerospace program stress analysis requirements and procedures. Candidate must be able to conduct stress analysis on metallic and composite structures. Proficiency with NASTRAN, PATRAN, IDEAS, and ORACLE is required. Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aeronautical, Aerospace, or Civil Engineering desired. A background in aircraft structural analysis (metallic and composite) including an understanding of control surface stiffness loop calculations, static and fatigue testing requirements and analysis, and finite element modeling (FEM) is desired. Participate in research projects which entail development and testing of small rocket engines. Candidate will perform experimental work in dedicated laboratory facility. Must be capable of applying knowledge toward solving problems of a research nature, and be capable of working alone or with a technical team of researchers. 3. What is the difference between an aerospace and aeronautical engineer? Most engineers in this field are actually aeronautical engineers (those who work on the design, manufacture, and use of aircraft) or astronautical engineers (those who work on the design, manufacture, and use of spacecraft). Aerospace engineering is just a generic term that includes both disciplines. For example, our staff includes engineers whose education and career focus on aeronautical engineering while another specializes in astronautical engineering, but each of us has the same job title--aerospace engineer. 4. I'm doing a report on aeronauntical and aerospace engineering and I need some information on what kind of education is needed to become an aeronautical engineer. Also, how can I get involved in the field of aeronautical engineering? And how can I get into designing military jets? An aerospace engineer needs to obtain at least a bachelor of science degree (BS) from a school that has been properly accredited by some official group, such as the ABET. All of the major schools in the US have this accredidation. Program names vary across the nation, but most are called Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautics and Astronautics, or Aeronatical and Astronautical Engineering. Probably the best way for you to get involved in aerospace is to take up a hobby that others interested in the field also participate in. For example, radio controlled aircraft and model rocketry clubs exist around the world and are a good way to meet people with similar interests. There are also many aerospace museums with special organizations that meet regularly to discuss history or new developments in aviation and space. Depending on where you live, there may be a local chapter of the American Insitute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) that offers regular meetings and other programs that may be of interest to you. Some colleges and universities also offer summer youth programs that allow junior high and high school students to learn more about aerospace careers and participate in engineering projects. As for your final question, I'm not sure what exactly you mean by getting into the design of military jets. Once you are in college, I'd recommend emphasizing classes on conceptual design, propulsion, performance, and aerodynamics or perhaps structures. In the meantime, try reading books on different types of planes and types of combat to get an understanding of why planes are shaped in different ways to make them suited to the job they do. There are also some good books on how specific aircraft were designed that give an appreciation for the kinds of trade-offs that have to be made to come up with something that actually works. 5. I am not very good in mathmatics but I am excellent in science. Do you think that I would be a good candidate for being an aerospace engineer? While engineers need to take quite a few math courses in school, I can't say that I really use math all that much in my job. It is important to have a basic understanding of mathematical definitions, but for the most part we let computers do the detailed number crunching for us. What is important is to have an understanding of what the computer programs are doing and to be able to perform some simple calculations to verify that the results are reasonable. Even though I had to take 2½ years of calculus courses in college, I've found that I rarely need to know more than relatively simple geometry, trigonometry, and algebra to do my job! As for science, I'd say it's important to have a good understanding of physics subjects, especially mechanics and dynamics. Some aerospace engineers also need a strong emphasis on chemistry or electromagnetics, but understanding the basic laws of how forces make things go is really key to being a good engineer. If you are good at those physical sciences, as opposed to life sciences like biology, I'd say that you probably would be a good candidate for aerospace engineering. 6. What are the basic courses to be taken in college for aerospace engineering? Which is the best university to transfer to? The first two years of most engineering programs (whether it be aerospace, mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, etc.) are pretty much the same across all universities. In addition to meeting general education requirements (humanities and social science courses), most aerospace engineering students are expected to take a number of classes in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. In particular, students typically take 4 semesters of calculus and differential equations, 3 or 4 semesters of physics (covering Newtonian mechanics, electromagnetics, and relativity), 2 semesters of statics and dynamics, and 2 semesters of general chemistry. Other courses may include statistics, linear algebra, thermodynamics, and basic circuit design, depending on the university. I can't really recommend any particular school to complete your education at. As was stated in Part 1, it really comes down to a question of economics and where can you get the best education for the lowest cost. If you've got a big wad of cash to spend, you can always go to MIT or Stanford, but a state school would probably be far more cost effective. 7. I am looking into possibly becoming an aerospace engineer. I would like to know what universities offer the best programs and if there are any universities on an international scale (outside the US) that offer a good degree in Aerospace engineering. See the previous point on selecting a good school within the US. However, none of us are terribly qualified to comment on foreign schools. A few we've heard some good things about include Delft University in the Netherlands, Imperial College in England, and the University of Bristol, also in England. There must be other good schools throughout Europe and the Far East as well, but we just don't know enough about them. 8. I am currenty doing my HND in aerospace engineering and will be going to the UK for further studies. Can anyone advise me on which course to take for my BSc in terms of job oppurtunities, pay, and future of the selected field? I have three choices: 1. aerospace engineering design 2. air transport engineering 3. aerospace engineering technology with management I believe these types of course selections are becoming more common in European aerospace programs, particularly in Britain, as they allow a student to emphasize different areas of the industry. Such distinctions are not as common in the US, so we don't feel qualified to give much advice on the matter. In fact, we're not entirely sure what the distinction between these areas is. The first sounds like a typical American aerospace program emphasizing the general technical areas of aircraft and spacecraft design and analysis. The second sounds like it focuses more on commercial airline travel while the third sounds more business and management oriented. So your decision will likely depend on what part of the industry you want to work in--general aerospace engineering, commercial aviation, or management. 9. Ever since I was little I've wanted to fly the shuttle and walk on the moon. Now I figure that if I can't fly the shuttle, I can at least help design it. Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but I think I can do it. I'm really smart and have a great imagination. I just want to know if I'm crazy for trying. Is it too hard for me to even try? And what is the stress level like? No, you aren't at all crazy. At the risk of sounding like one of those cheesy After-School Specials, you can do anything you set your mind to! However, I will point out that there isn't really that much design work going on for the Space Shuttle right now since it's been around for over 20 years and no more are being built. There will be continuing efforts to upgrade the Shuttle fleet and keep it in service for a few more years, but this isn't a rapidly growing area of the aerospace industry. Where you might find more employment possibilities is in the rocket field where Boeing, Lockheed, and foreign companies are developing several next-generation launch vehicles. There are also efforts to develop a new manned vehicle to take the place of the Shuttle, but these projects don't tend to provide a stable, long-term career. Regardless, there are many possible career paths for engineers interested in the space program, and I'm sure you wouldn't have any difficulty finding something of interest to you. I can't really say what the stress level is like in that particular type of job, but I don't think it's all that much higher in the engineering world than in most other careers. While the stress would vary quite a bit depending on your specific job, most engineers I know really enjoy what they do and have a lot of fun in the process, so stress isn't much of a problem. 1. What does an aerospace engineer do in a typical day on the job? Aerospace engineers may end up in a wide variety of different kinds of jobs, so it is a little tricky to describe "an average day in the life of...." Even so, it is safe to say that most of us work in an office environment where we sit at our desks much of the day performing our jobs. In addition, we all use computers in one way or another. A typical engineer will usually be working on tasks such as the following: * creating a computer model of a vehicle or portion of a vehicle * analyzing a computer model to determine its aerodynamic, structural, or thermal performance, or perhaps studying how well a component of the design integrates with another component or how easy it will be to assemble or maintain * testing a design using a computer simulation, a wind tunnel, or flight test to see how well it performs its intended purpose * designing software that controls how a vehicle flies or simulates its flight characteristics * performing trade studies to optimize a design and make it work better * attending meetings with engineers or managers to discuss progress reports, problems, or future plans * writing reports or making presentations on the status of your work * drinking coffee and catching up on your email :-) This is a pretty limited set of tasks an aerospace engineer might do, but I think you'll find in any engineering career that most people are doing completely different things from each other. 2. How much time is spent daily working on projects as an Aerospace Engineer? And just to be more specific, vehicle design? For most engineers, I'd say about 80% to 90% of the average work day is spent completing technical projects, which could include various design and analysis tasks like those discussed above. The remaining 10% to 20% I'd chalk up to meetings, writing reports, or other administrative and managerial tasks. However, not all of us are engaged in what you might be thinking of as "vehicle design." When I hear that term, I think of conducting conceptual design studies to figure out how big a vehicle needs to be, how its internal and external components should be arranged, what kinds of technologies should go into its construction, and so on. Only a few aerospace engineers actually work on these kinds of tasks, and the amount of time they spend doing so could vary greatly depending on where they work and what their position is. Another aspect of vehicle design is the more detailed work of figuring out how to build the conceptual design. This effort includes tasks such as determining where all the beams and bulkheads should go to bear the loads acting on the vehicle in flight, figuring out how all the parts of the fuel system interconnect to get fuel from the tanks to the engines, creating the flight control systems and computers, figuring out how the pieces will be built and assembled, etc. Many, many more engineers work on these kinds of detailed nuts-and-bolts design issues that take the concept and turn it into an actual design that can be manufactured. 3. Do you get short assignments, or assignments that drag on for long time? Does your job mainly deal with people, data, or things? Both long-term and short-term projects. The long-term projects are usually better because they are more stable, have more money, and are better defined in terms of what kind of product they want in the end. The short-term projects don't usually have enough time or money to do a really thorough job, but they do provide some variety and the chance to work on something new and different. Probably data, since I work a lot on computers generating numbers. I also have to interact with people at government and industry sites quite a bit to get access to information I need to do my work. I take "things" to mean actual aircraft or other vehicles, and I don't spend that much time around those. 4. What are the responsiblities (ie: health and safety issues, legal, and ethical implications) of an aeronautical engineer? I can't think of any such responsibilities particular to aeronautical or aerospace engineering that aren't true of all other branches of engineering. All engineers have certain legal and moral obligations to consider the safety and health impacts of their designs, and they can be held accountable if something goes wrong. Other general responsibilities engineers and scientists have are to report their findings truthfully and accurately and to make sure that decisions are properly documented and defensible. One major area of responsibility that has become of greater importance in recent years is to consider the long-term environmental impacts of an engineer's design. These could include toxic by-products of the manufacturing process, exposing the end-user to dangerous substances, and any health or safety issues associated with disposing of the product at the end of its useful life. 5. What bonuses does this profession provide, such as medical and dental insurance, vacation, and holidays? What is your company's policy on being late and how to dress? Again, specifics may vary greatly depending on your specific job and employer, but I think the benefits are pretty similar for most places whether they are in the aerospace industry or not. You typically get a choice of medical and dental plans in which you and the employer both pay a roughly equal share of the expenses. The more services you want, the more expensive your monthly premium will be. Vacation time is also pretty standard at about 2 weeks paid leave a year, and most or all major holidays are usually paid days off. There really isn't any policy on being late where any of us work. We're pretty free to set our own hours so long as our work gets done and we are available when people need to talk to us. The dress code is also pretty open. Most engineers I know wear jeans and a polo shirt or maybe dress pants and a dress shirt when something important is going on. 6. Is aeronautical engineering a good profession to enter right now with a slowed economy and hurting airlines? Is a masters degree necessary to be successful? Whenever someone asks this question, I think back to what the industry was like back when I was getting ready to start college. It was shortly after the end of the Cold War when the military slashed its budgets, many defense projects were cancelled, commercial airliner sales had plummeted, companies were leaving the aerospace industry in droves, and the economy was "the worst in 50 years," according to a certain political candidate known for hyperbole. Everyone was warning me to stay out of aerospace, it was a dying industry. I stuck with it anyway, and by the time I graduated college, quite the opposite was true. The resurgent defense industry was hiring like mad to replace all the people who had retired or been laid off during the poor economy of the early 90s, airlines were making money hand over fist and placing enormous orders for new aircraft, and even the automotive and racing industries had a big demand for aerospace engineers. The moral of this story is that aerospace is a very cyclical industry, and it's probably better to start your schooling when it's in a depressed state because it will likely be nearing the peak of demand again once you graduate. In fact, the demand for aerospace engineers has been pretty stable during the economic slowdown of 1999-2002. The primary reasons for this are increased defense spending in general, the awarding of the Joint Strike Fighter contract, and increased demand from the auto racing industry. As for a masters degree, it depends primarily on the employer. Some only want new hires with BS degrees because they want to train you to do things their way. Others only want candidates with MS degrees because they require someone with more specialized experience. On balance, I'd say that your prospects probably are a little better with a masters, but it is by no means "necessary to be successful." 7. Will I be able to work for Pakistan International Airlines after getting a degree in aerospace engineering? Will I be eligible for a job in the US after getting a degree in aerospace engineering from a school in Pakistan? In general, airlines do not hire aerospace engineers, or at least not many of them. Aerospace engineers are designers, so the companies that hire them are usually designing and building aircraft. Airlines are operators of the planes and do not typically need the kinds of skills aerospace engineers have to offer. What I've said is true for American airline companies at least, but that may not be true of airlines in other nations. I tried visiting PIA to find any information on their employees or job openings, but I couldn't locate anything. One possibility is to contact the airline's headquarters and ask about their need for aerospace engineers or other career fields that might interest you. As for a job in the US, most employers require a degree from an accredited school. As discussed previously, accredidation means that the school's aerospace engineering program has met certain requirements. US schools are accredited by a group called ABET, but I do not know how foreign universities are certified. It might be a good idea to contact the unveristy you plan to attend and ask about that. In addition, most US employers require American citizenship or permanent resident status before most they will consider hiring a foreign national. 8. What advice will you give to a high school student who wants to be an engineer? It's difficult to think up a good answer to such a broad question, but I guess the best advice I can think of is to remember that there's a light at the end of the tunnel! The classes an engineer has to take in college are far more difficult and time-consuming than some other majors, but if you stick it out, a very exciting and well-paying career is waiting for you. What is the highest salary an aerospace engineer can get? Aerospace engineering is essentially a specialization of mechanical engineering. In particular, aerodynamics and propulsion are a specialization of the fluid dynamics option available in many mechanical engineering programs. As a result, mechanical engineers usually have little trouble transitioning to course work in the aerospace field. It is therefore quite common for someone with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering to pursue an advanced degree in aerospace. Likewise, mechanical engineers are quite common in the aircraft industry. While aeronautical engineers tend to be experts in designing the overall layout of an aircraft, it is mechanical engineers who most often do the detailed design work to put those concepts into practice. For example, an aerospace engineer may design a shape for a wing to achieve aerodynamic efficiency, but a mechanical engineer would determine where the various structural components need to be in order to build that wing and connect it to the fuselage. MEs also typically complete official drawings used on the assembly line telling the workers how to put the aircraft together. Computer programming is also a skill that many aerospace engineers need to master, whether they work on aircraft or spacecraft. In general, most engineers working in an analytical environment need to be able to write computer programs to manipulate data or calculate complex equations in order to analyze the results of their work. Is it really like what people say, that engineering is a male-dominated field in which there are very few female engineers? What are the statistics like for women wanting a career in aeronautical engineering? Who do aerospace engineers work with? What are the usual daily contacts if you work as an aerospace engineer? Are there any aspects of aerospace engineering that are unexpected? What are the advantages of being an aerospace engineer? How many years of school did you attend and what degrees did you get? How heavy was the workload for your degree and what classes are the hardest? How long would it take for a full time student to get his masters degree and PhD? How much does an engineer have to work in a typical week? Is it hard to balance work and family? What is the career path to becoming an airline transport pilot? How long does it take and what ratings do you need? What is the process of pilot training and what skills are tested? What qualifications are needed to become an airline pilot? Will majoring in aerospace engineering in college help me become a pilot? Here are further guidelines. |