Finding Your Path to the Aerospace Engineering Industry

[AJSayad]

Summary:: What is the best way to get into the Aerospace Engineering Industry?

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the physics forums. My name is Andrew, I'm going to be in my undergrad Senior year in mechanical engineering this coming fall. I've recently been looking into PhD programs and I've been having trouble deciding what field I want to specialize in.

My main career goals (like many others) is to work in an R&D position in the Aerospace field and then eventually do research and teach for a university. I have an interest in both fluid mechanics and robotics/dynamical systems but I'm not really sure which one would be the best route to take to get into the industry. I know fluid mechanics is very important for aerospace and there is some research being done in the field but I also know that Robotics is a very large field and is continuing to grow everyday which makes me have a hard time determining which one would be best.

Any advice/input is immensely appreciated. Andrew

 

[boneh3ad]

There is no answer to this. The aerospace industry needs people with expertise all across the spectrum. You could study accountancy and work in the aerospace industry.

Study what interests you most, knock it out of the park, and find an aerospace job requiring that skill set.

 

[AJSayad]

Thank you for the response, that seems to be the best route and what I've heard from a few of my professors. I appreciate the confidence and reassurance.

 

[FactChecker]

A good question is which specializations will be the greatest growth areas in the aerospace industry. For that, I would pick robotics and machine learning. I think that will be in great demand and other industries like automobile will compete for the few people.

 

[boneh3ad]

A good question is which specializations will be the greatest growth areas in the aerospace industry. For that, I would pick robotics and machine learning. I think that will be in great demand and other industries like automobile will compete for the few people.

AI/ML will basically be a growth area in every industry in the near future, but their applications are so wide that it's not really all that helpful to just do that. Both are also finding increasing use in the two subfields mentioned above: fluid dynamics and robotics.

 

[FactChecker]

AI/ML will basically be a growth area in every industry in the near future, but their applications are so wide that it's not really all that helpful to just do that. Both are also finding increasing use in the two subfields mentioned above: fluid dynamics and robotics.

Good point. It would be best if there is are courses within the aero department. Flight controls and avionics in general would probably have aspects of it.

 

[AJSayad]

Thank you for the input, I've been looking into flight controls as well, the programs that I've been looking at seem to include flight controls in their robotics/dynamical controls program.

 

[anorlunda]

Thank you for the input, I've been looking into flight controls as well, the programs that I've been looking at seem to include flight controls in their robotics/dynamical controls program.

That sounds good. A thing we are fond of saying here at PF is "Before thinking out of the box, you first need to learn what is in the box." As a researcher in avionics or controls, you won't have credibility if you don't know how the existing stuff works. So study of existing systems, and the history of the evolution of flight controls is not a waste of time, it is necessary.

Also, if that's your goal, you should also get a private pilot's license. Some schools allow you to get credit for that. Being a pilot yourself redoubles your credibility as a researcher.

 

[AJSayad]

That's a great saying and should probably be more common among undergraduate professors speaking to their students. I'll look into a pilots license, it's definitely something on the bucket list but if I can get credit for it that's even better. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Klystron]

During my career I worked at military installations and aerospace R&D locations. Most sites included flying clubs often affiliated with universities for experienced and new pilots with emphasis on safety and applied aerodynamics. Some of my radar students obtained private pilot training after hours in order to 'look at flight from both sides'.

While I never flew actual aircraft due to physical limitations, I became a decent full-scale flight simulator pilot. Flying a transport from SFO to DEN through (simulated) thunderstorms on full motion base became as real as an actual flight, including shaky legs as one leaves the cockpit after touchdown. Even without access to full-scale flight simulator hardware, one can learn and practice flying basics using commercial flight simulator software packages.