Career Advice Needed (Aerospace)

[funstew]

I want to get into the aerospace field but my background right now doesn't really apply. I went to a military academy out of high school and majored in mechanical engineering. I've worked as a student engineer on a ship (mostly the job involved standing engine room watch, managing a divisional budget, keeping track of inventory...) and for the last three years I have been acting as a contracting officer's technical representative for ships going through dry dock maintenance, which basically involves checking work to make sure contractors are following specification, tracking government furnished equipment and other project management type stuff. However, I don't really like my job. Aerospace and aviation in general has always fascinated me and I would love to get involved in the industry and do more engineering and less project management. I will be separating from the military next March (obligated time will be over) but don't really know where to go from there. I have saved up money to use for grad school and I assume that is what I should do but not sure where to go or exactly what to study. Any advice from someone already in the industry would be very much appreciated!

 

[AVReidy]

Be a mechanical engineer and design the swashplates and other mechanical systems for helicopters. For the most part, subsonic airfoil and fuselage design is understood and wings don't need lots of engineering to make.