What are the qualities I need to be an aerospace engineer?

[nikirock021]

I'm fifteen years old and have wanted to become an aerospace engineer for a long time. Controls and simulations is the field in aerospace engineering that seems the most interesting to me right now but I was wondering what I need skill wise to become an aerospace engineer(subjects I need to be good at, hobbies I should have etc)
thank you

 

[rootone]

Model aircraft making (actual flying models but could be something simple like free flight gliders) , computer programming, electronics generally, and a good overall grasp of basic physics are the first things that come to mind.

 

[nikirock021]

Model aircraft making (actual flying models but could be something simple like gliders) , computer programming, electronics generally, and a good overall grasp of basic physics are the first things that come to mind.

thank you very much

 

[berkeman]

Do you have a model rocket club near you? Is there a physics club at your high school?

 

[nikirock021]

Do you have a model rocket club near you? Is there a physics club at your high school?

we don't have a physics club at my school but we do have robotics. the credit for the model rocket goes to my science teacher this year who made us make model after model(like really hardly any textbook work, not that i mind) I now know how to make a working rover , rocket, water turbine, and speaker from scratch thnx to him

 

[berkeman]

we don't have a physics club at my school but we do have robotics. the credit for the model rocket goes to my science teacher this year who made us make model after model(like really hardly any textbook work, not that i mind) I now know how to make a working rover , rocket, water turbine, and speaker from scratch thnx to him

Very nice! Keep it up!

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Don't neglect your math. More aspiring engineers crash and burn their 1st or 2nd year of college because their high school math backgrounds are too weak to keep up.

Algebra and trig are very important.

 

[nikirock021]

Don't neglect your math. More aspiring engineers crash and burn their 1st or 2nd year of college because their high school math backgrounds are too weak to keep up.

Algebra and trig are very important.

thank you. I plan on taking AP math courses in grade 11 and 12, would that be efficient or should I take courses outside of school too?

 

[Dr. Courtney]

thank you. I plan on taking AP math courses in grade 11 and 12, would that be efficient or should I take courses outside of school too?

Moving on to AP courses before algebra and trig are really mastered is counter productive.

At the Air Force Academy, we used ALEKS pre-calculus to make sure cadets were ready for the science and engineering majors.

I've taken to recommending ALEKS to high school students also usually shortly after they finish their textbook version of pre-calculus.

It is very effective at reinforcing the needed skills and addressing any areas of weakness. The students who have followed my advice of ALEKS pre-calc after textbook pre-calc are all doing very well in their college courses.

 

[nikirock021]

Moving on to AP courses before algebra and trig are really mastered is counter productive.

At the Air Force Academy, we used ALEKS pre-calculus to make sure cadets were ready for the science and engineering majors.

I've taken to recommending ALEKS to high school students also usually shortly after they finish their textbook version of pre-calculus.

It is very effective at reinforcing the needed skills and addressing any areas of weakness. The students who have followed my advice of ALEKS pre-calc after textbook pre-calc are all doing very well in their college courses.

thank you very much i will try out ALEKS pre-calc

 

[boneh3ad]

I'll second the math suggestion. It's the number one reason (anecdotally, anyway) that prospective engineers fail out.

Also, I wouldn't sweat things like model rocketry or madel airplanes. Those are neat and can be useful but are hardly required. I didn't do much of either and that didn't stop me from getting an aerospace engineering degree any more than not having the slightest experience tinkering with cars stopped me from getting a mechanical engineering degree.

 

[nikirock021]

I'll second the math suggestion. It's the number one reason (anecdotally, anyway) that prospective engineers fail out.

Also, I wouldn't sweat things like model rocketry or madel airplanes. Those are neat and can be useful but are hardly required. I didn't do much of either and that didn't stop me from getting an aerospace engineering degree any more than not having the slightest experience tinkering with cars stopped me from getting a mechanical engineering degree.

Thank you