Aerospace engineering is one of the most popular courses in engineering. There are several institutes which offer Aerospace engineering courses. Candidates who successfully qualify all the eligibility criteria get a chance to pursue their higher studies. Career training in Aerospace engineering can get you, your dream job in a prestigious organization. Aerospace engineering is broken into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering.
Aeronautical engineering
Aeronautical engineering is a branch of aerospace engineering, though some people use the two terms interchangeably. Aeronautical engineering includes aircraft design, and the management of the physical forces that act on aircraft. These primarily include the sciences of propulsion and aerodynamics.
Aerodynamics is at the heart of aeronautical engineering. This is the study of the relationship between air and solid materials. Aeronautical engineers place particular emphasis on the design of wingsor airfols. An airfoil is a device that uses its shape to produce lift when moved through air, thereby counteracting the force of gravity
Aeronautical engineers tend to specialize in one or more of the areas above, but at the same time, they must be prepared to work in close cooperation with other specialists involved in designing aircraft. It is not unusual for them to have Master’s degrees, or even Doctorates in their chosen field of specialization. The first airplane was designed by a pair of bicycle makers, who worked on it largely as a hobby. But a modern airplane is an incredibly complex device, and designing one often requires the collaboration of hundreds of people. Aeronautical engineers make up a fundamental part of this collaboration.
Courses and Career Prospects in Aeronautical Engineering
The basic degree required for becoming an aeronautical engineer is a B.E. (Bachelor of Engineering) or a B. Tech (Bachelor of Technology). One can also acquire a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering. Most of the reputed engineering colleges offer degree and post-graduate degree courses in Aeronautical Engineering. In order to pursue a B.E. or B.Tech Course in Aeronautical Engineering, one needs to qualify the higher secondary examination with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as compulsory subjects along with a good aggregate percentage.
Candidates should also have good observation power and an analytical bent of mind. They should also be a good communicator and crisis manager besides being healthy and fit. A student who does not have a sharp eye sight and is color blind may not qualify to become an aeronautical engineer even though he may be academically brilliant.
Aeronautical Engineering Courses imparts multi-faceted training to students in areas like manufacturing and development of aircrafts and missiles. An aeronautical engineer can also design, test and contribute to the development of advanced technologies in the field of defense and space science. Initially, candidates begin work as graduate engineer trainees or junior Engineers. Keeping in view their performance, academic background and aptitude, they are placed for training in the aircraft maintenance/overhaul or support section. On completion of training they are placed as assistant aircraft engineers or assistant technical officers. They have to clear departmental examinations for further promotions. They may advance to administrative or executive positions or become consultants. Aeronautical engineers are assisted by aircraft mechanics in maintenance of aircraft frame, engine, electrical system and other ancillary fittings.
A lot of job opportunities for aeronautical engineers are also available in the countries like United States of America, France, UK and Germany. Therefore, aeronautical or aviation engineers from all other parts of the world flock to these countries.
Astronautical engineering
Astronautical engineering deals with vehicles, instruments, and other equipment used in space, but not with the sociological or economic aspects of space flight, except as they influence the equipment.
There is a lack of parallelism between astronautic and aeronautic vehicle terminology. An aircraft is a self-contained vehicle, having within its structure essentially all the equipment required to transport its payload from one place to another. In a restricted sense a spacecraft is the container for the payload. Sometimes the word is used to denote the container and payload. Most spacecraft, to date, have had either very limited propulsion or none at all. Since enormous speeds are the hallmark of all astronautic missions, un powered spacecraft require a “booster,” or “launch vehicle,” usually a rocket many times as large as the spacecraft. The weight of the spacecraft, in fact, seldom exceeds 5% of the total launch vehicle weight.
Astronautical engineering is a branch of practical science that deals with the design, building and theories of spacecraft. Often referred to as rocket science, astronautical engineering is an incredibly complex field of the aerospace industry that requires extensive training and a deep understanding of physics, engineering, and outer space. For all its complexity, modernastronautical engineering is a relatively young field, dating back to the first spacecraft flights of the 20th century.
Many jobs in the astronautical engineering world require graduate degrees in the field; candidates usually have either amaster’s degree or a PhD with an emphasis in their area of interest. Some technical jobs are available to those withbachelor’s degrees in engineering as well. Job opportunities for astronautical engineers can be either in the public or private sectors; while some countries have active space programs that employ engineers, many work for private contractors that build rockets, missiles, and other spacecraft.
Flight vehicles undergo severe conditions such as differences in atmospheric pressure, and temperature, with structural loads applied upon vehicle components. Consequently, they are usually the products of various technological and engineering disciplines including aerodynamics, propulsion,avionics, materials science, structural analysis and manufacturing. These technologies are collectively known as aerospace engineering. Because of the complexity of the field, aerospace engineering is conducted by a team of engineers, each specializing in their own branches of science.
