Becoming an Aerospace Engineer

The work of aerospace engineers is highly skilled and is concerned with flight and aerodynamics. Their particular skills come into play whenever something moves through the air or when a structure is subjected to wind pressures. In these circumstances, they can calculate the interactions that determine the behavior of the object concerned and how this behavior depends on its shape.

The Job:

The Aerospace industry is the chief employer of aerospace engineers, whose work involves the design, development, production, and the testing of aeroplanes, missiles, and spacecraft.

Some aerospace engineers work in design departments taking initial designs from simple ideas to detailed structures and, eventually, simulating their behavior in flight using computer aided design and simulation software.

Aerodynamics is a highly mathematical subject in which calculations can be made to predict the behavior of various shapes in a wind. Prototypes, usually scale models of the most promising designs, are tested in wind tunnels, where visual displays of how the air streams flow past an object are recorded so that they can be analyzed in detail.

Aerospace engineers are responsible for the structural integrity of an aeroplane and some of their calculations are similar to those of structural engineers. Once an aeroplane has been constructed, they take responsibility for flight trials, which is finding a program of tests to determine how the plane handles in the air, collecting the data, and analyzing the results. Following such trials, small changes may be made to improve the stability or other characteristics of the aeroplane in flight.

The increasingly international nature of projects to design and the building of new aeroplanes have increased the opportunities for international travel. Senior aerospace engineers are often leaders of multidisciplinary teams that include mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineers. Senior engineers have to maintain an overview of all aspects of an aircraft.

Many of these engineers are attracted to aerospace engineering through a deep interest in aeroplanes. Some become pilots, though qualifications in aerospace engineering are not necessary for this, and extensive training is required to gain a pilots license. A few work on the maintenance of aeroplanes for airlines and air forces. Others are employed in the design of turbines, cars, aerials, masts, and torpedoes - basically anything that is subjected to aerodynamic pressure.

The armed forces - particularly, but not exclusively, the Air Force - recruit aerospace engineers to work on the maintenance of their aeroplanes and helicopters. Research laboratories that undertake investigations for the armed forces also require the expertise of these engineers in order to research problems and develop novel defense equipment.

Most countries have a special unit that investigates the causes of air accidents, especially the reason for the failure of the aeroplane. Aerospace engineers are included among those who make up such inspection teams.

A few engineers work for civil engineering consultants on the design of buildings and other structures that need to be resistant to high winds.

Senior aerospace engineers are responsible for the safety of complex and expensive pieces of equipment, such as aircraft, missiles, and space capsules, and they must, therefore, have an in-depth understanding of the safety issues involved before they can aspire to membership of their professional institution. A thorough basic education in physics and mathematics is an essential prerequisite before embarking on this career.

Training Involved:

The training of aerospace engineers takes a minimum of 4 years in addition to the academic studies. Training includes induction to the philosophy and practices of the company, working in the design team, wind tunnel work, and flight trials. Safety is of fundamental importance to the Aerospace industry, and a thorough understanding of quality requirements and the relevant regulations is essential.

Useful Qualifications to Have:

Useful subjects include: science and mathematics.

Salary Expectations:

The base salary range of an Aerospace Engineer range from $56,837 to $78,773 annually, while the median salary for most Aerospace Engineers is $67,500 annually. (US Base Pay)

Future Job Prospects:

The Aerospace industry is extremely cyclical. In some years, obtaining a job as an aerospace engineer is relatively easy, while in others it is considerably more difficult, depending on the state of the international market for aeroplanes. The design, development, and manufacture of new aircraft, and military, can be so prohibitively expensive that recent years have seen the emergence of international consortia of the aerospace companies coming together to cooperate on large-scale projects.

For further information, contact professional engineering institutions representing aerospace engineers.