How do I become a Aerospace engineer?

[iwannaworkfor]

One day I would love to design aircraft. I have my private pilots license but I find myself more interested in the systems of the airplanes I fly, and the designs of airplanes than actually flying them.


Would I need to get my bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, or would I have to specialize?

 

[Mech_Engineer]

It depends on which components/systems specifically you're interested in, but odds are it would be a degree in either aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or possibly electrical engineering.

 

[bbrady1]

If you really want to design aircraft, aerospace engineering is the way to go. You will learn all about fluids, propulsion, and aerodynamics. Most universities have a "capstone" project where you will design an aircraft (with pen and paper of course).

Having an aerospace degree is NOT a prerequisite for getting hired at a big aerospace company like Boeing, Lockheed, etc. You could get hired with a degree in just about any branch of engineering, mathematics, or physics.

If you have an aerospace background, you will perform more aerodynamic calculations (lift, drag, propulsion, etc). If you pick up a mechanical or material engineering degree, you will probably work with the structural design of the aircraft (loads, fatigue). There are miles of wire inside a B777, so an electrical engineer would be busy as well.

 

[HowlerMonkey]

Rudiments like proper sentence structure and spelling are important.