so you want to be an aerospace engineer

So you want to be an aerospace engineer..

Lakshmi Sankarlsankar@ae.gatech.edu

404-894-3014

Daurette Joseph daurette.joseph@ae.gatech.edu

404-385-1595

Some Useful Web Sites and Contacts

• Our School: www.ae.gatech.edu• This presentation: www.ae.gatech.edu/~lsankar/FASET

• AE Academic Office: – Phone: 404-894-3001– Daurette Joseph daurette.joseph@ae.gatech.edu

• Academic Advisor, 404-385-1595

– Revonda Mullis rmullis@ae.gatech.edu– Lakshmi Sankar lsankar@ae.gatech.edu

Overview

• What do aerospace engineers do?• Where do they work?• How much do they make? (I want a

Corvette when I grow up..)• What are the classes will I take?• Will I get to do research?• Do you have a honors program? • What are the Study Abroad Opportunities?

What do aerospace engineers do?

• We design, build, or analyze systems and components.– Aircraft, helicopters, engines, satellites, rockets,

unmanned vehicles, etc.

• We work in related areas. – Automotive, power generation, bio-engineering, wind

energy, environmental engineering, etc.

• We serve mankind by making improvements to the state of the art in aerospace vehicles– Cheaper, quieter, faster, lighter, environmentally

friendly applications.

We make improvements to all theParts of an Airplane

• Low drag airfoils• Quieter, fuel-efficient

propellers or jet engines• Composites and

advanced aluminum alloy materials that are strong and light

• Fly by wire controls that reduce pilot’s work load, and lead to a safe and enjoyable flight.

We make improvements to rockets and space vehicles

• High energy, high density fuels

• Computers and software for guidance and control of rockets

• Optimum trajectories from earth to Mars and other places, that take the least amount of energy or time.

We make improvements to engines

• Fans that produce a lot of thrust, but require less power

• Compressors that increase the pressure with the least amount of power expenditure

• Turbines that extract the maximum amount of energy from the hot gases

• Nozzles that produce thrust, without excessive noise

• Combustors that burn fuel efficiently, without pollution such as Carbon Monoxide or Nitrous Oxide

Where do aerospace engineers work?

• Aircraft manufacturers (Lockheed, Boeing, Airbus, Cessna, Gulfstream, and others)

• Engine Manufacturers (GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, Turbomeca, ..)

• Helicopter Manufacturers (Bell, Boeing, Sikorsky, Robinson..)• NASA Research Centers (Langley, Ames, Glenn, Johnson)• Power Systems (GE, Pratt & Whitney, Regional Power

Companies)• Airlines Industries (Delta, United, American, ..)• Government Agencies and Labs (Air Force Labs, Navy labs,

DARPA, Department of Energy)• Hundreds of small businesses and suppliers that cater to the

needs of the aerospace industries and the government.

How much do they make?I want a Corvette..

• Experienced engineers 2001 Average Salary:

• Federal Government $74,170

• Search and navigation equipment $71,020

• Aircraft and parts $68,230• Guided missiles, space

vehicles, and parts $65,830

• Average starting salary in 2001:

• bachelor's degree candidates in aerospace engineering received starting offers averaging $46,918 a year

• master's degree candidates were offered $59,955

• Ph.D. candidates were offered $64,167.

What are the courses like?

• 132 semester hours (four years)• Plenty of opportunities for internship and co-op

work.• A combination of technical courses (Math,

Physics, sciences, computer science, EE, materials engineering), humanities and social sciences (English, History, languages), and advanced AE courses.

• Please see our web site for more details: www.ae.gatech.edu/undergraduate

Do I get to do research?

• Research is an essential part of being an engineer.

• As engineers, we are constantly searching for ways to do things better, cheaper, more efficiently, and with less impact on the environment.

• We have plenty of opportunities in our program (10 hours of electives) you may use to satisfy your creative urges.

• Here are some examples..

Design, build, and fly your own airplane..

• Our students compete nationally against other universities.

• They design, build, and fly a vehicle that will meet the specifications.

• They develop team skills, oral and written communication skills, and a strong work ethic.

Fly on the Vomit Comet..

• Design experiments to study how gravity affects materials, fire, manufacturing processes, or human tissues.

• Test your experiment on a specially equipped airplane.

• Try not to P..ke

Work on Dual Use Applications

• Design of Variable Pitch Composite Spoiler – X-29 elastically tailored

composite wings Applied to Formula I race cars

Design Engineer LMACo

Support/Service Economy

Tim

e

Earth Launch

Com-sats Research Exploration Military GPSSensing

Maintenance Space Station Robotics RepairFuel

Orbit transfer vehiclesGEO Station

Lunar Resources

Lunar Launcher

Lunar Mining

Lunar Power

Lunar ManufacturingSpace Habitats

Work on Space Based Economy

Self-sustaining Economy

AE Honors Program • This program was implemented in the Fall

of 2002.• Goal

– provide AE undergraduates who have an interest in graduate studies and research with opportunities that will prepare them to excel academically and in research.

• Outcomes– research experience– chance to explore specialties– joint B.S./M.S. AE program

Student Benefits• Automatically admitted to AE MS program

after completion of BS – streamlined application, no GRE requirement

• Count up to 6 hours of appropriate courses to both BS and MS degrees– able to complete MS degree 9-12 months after

finishing BS degree

• 3 semesters of UG research experience• Preference for Undergraduate AE

Research Fellowships

Eligibility• Participation is by invitation.

• Invitation is Issued after the stduent has completed 48 credit hours (with <30 transfer hours)

• The student is expected to maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above.

Requirements

• Research Courses– Honors program candidates complete 3

semesters of undergraduate research (4698 or 4699)

• Presentations– deliver at least one presentation on research

work before completing BS– at national conference, student conference,

or seminar (AE Brown Bag Lunch series)

Advising• Research Supervisor

– student chooses faculty research supervisor (with mutual consent of faculty member)

– able to change research supervisor during program

• Academic Advisor– participants can be reassigned to academic

advisor in student’s area of research interest (e.g., research supervisor)

International/Study Abroad Options

• The evolution of technology (e.g. high-speed aircraft) is bringing the world to our footsteps.

• Tomorrow’s aerospace endeavors will require collaboration among nations, and international business partners.

• US citizens should be trained to meet the changing global environment.

• They should be aware of international trade/business practices, corporate laws and regulations, and environmental issues.

• Fluency in a foreign language is a business requirement, not a luxury.

• We offer a variety of study abroad programs.• Beginning in the fall of 2005, we plan to offer a new BSAE

(International Option) program.

Elements of the Bachelor of Science

(International Option) Program

http://www.oie.gatech.edu/internationalplan.html

• Two or more years of college level study in a foreign language.

• Three or more courses in a global or comparative international studies (e.g. economics, law, politics).

• Two or more terms of residential foreign experience, of which one must be a full term experience (15 weeks).

• The second term may involve study, internship, or work.• Capstone design experience (or a senior elective) must

incorporate issues relevant to the discipline, from an international perspective.

• Student receives an international designation on the transcript and diploma.

AE Program Elective Hours Easily Meet These Requirements

• 6 hours of humanities may be used to take language courses

• 6 hours of social science electives

• 3 hours of science electives

• 10 hours of free electives.

• These 25 hours make up approximately 20% of our total program hours (132).

FIRST YEAR - FALL HRS FIRST YEAR - SPRING HRS

MATH 1501 CALCULUS I 4 MATH 1502 CALCULUS II 4

ENGL 1101 ENGLISH COMPOSITION I

3 ENGL 1102 ENGLISH COMPOSITION II

3

CHEM 1310 GENERAL CHEMISTRY

4 PHYS 2211 INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS I

4

CS 1371 COMPUTING FOR ENGINEERS

3 Language II 3

Language I 3 AE 1350 INTRODUCTION TO AE 2

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS = 17 TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS = 16

SECOND YEAR - FALL HRS SECOND YEAR - SPRING HRS

MATH 2401 CALCULUS III 4 HIST 2111 or 2112 or POL 1101 or PUBP 3000 or INTA 1200

3

PHYS 2212 INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS II

4 AE 2220 DYNAMICS 3

AE 2120 INTRODUCTION TO MECHANICS

3 Language IV 3

Language III 3 AE 3450: Thermo & 1 -D flow 3

    Wellness 2

AE 2020: Low Speed Aero

3 AE 3120: Intro to Structural Analysis

3

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS = 17 TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS = 17

THIRD YEAR - FALL (Abroad) HRSTHIRD YEAR - SPRING (Abroad) HRS

Summer

Math 2403: differential Equations 4 Science Elective 3 AE 3310

Technical Communications 2ECE 3741 INSTRUM & ELECTRONICS LAB

1 AE 3515

International economics/Business 3Social Science (International topic)

3 AE 3021

ECE 3710 CIRCUITS & ELECTRONICS

2 SOCIAL SCIENCE ELECTIVE(S) 3CE 1770  

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS = 11 TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS = 10 13

Third Year Option #1

• Option #2 is to work in an international setting (internship), and complete the third year fall classes during the previous summer.

FOURTH YEAR - FALL HRS FOURTH YEAR - SPRING HRS

AE 3122 AEROSPACE STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

3 AE 4220 AEROELASTICITY 3

AE 4350 DESIGN PROJECT I or 4356 SPACE SYSTEMS DESIGN PROJECT I

3 AE 4351 DESIGN PROJECT II or AE 4357 SPACE SYSTEMS DESIGN PROJECT II

3

AE 3051: Fluids Lab 2

AE 3145 STRUCTURES LAB 1MSE 2001

3

AE 4451 JET & ROCKET PROPULSION

3 AE 4525 CONTROL SYSTEMS DESIGN LAB

2

AE 3521: Flight Dynamics 4 Free electives 4

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS = 16 TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS = 15

Attributes of a Successful Aerospace Engineer

• Do you enjoy math and science?Do you have an inquisitive and searching mind?Are you interested in knowing what makes things work?Do you like to solve problems and puzzles?Do you like to create things?Do you enjoy learning?Do you enjoy working with computers?Do you like to build things?Are you prepared to study hard and do homework?Do you achieve good grades?

Concluding Remarks

• Aerospace engineering is an interesting field.• You will never have a dull day in your life.• It does take a lot of hard work and dedication to be

successful.• We offer

– Faculty advising/mentorship– Undergraduate Research and Design/Build/Fly Opportunities

that fit into your 132 hour curriculum– Study Abroad and BSAE (International Option) Opportunities– Co-Op and Internship Opportunities– A honors program leading to a fast-track BS/ME dual-degree

• We hope you will consider our program, when the time comes to selecting a college and a major.

Contact Information• Admissions:

– http://www.admission.gatech.edu/• School of AE:

– www.ae.gatech.edu/undergraduate• Research

– NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Program http://www.ae.gatech.edu/research/windtunnel/aclev/aclhome.html

Acoustic control of fluid in microgravity http://www.ae.gatech.edu/~gravity/

Aerial Robotics competition http://controls.ae.gatech.edu/gtar/

Space System Design and student design competitions: http://www.ssdl.gatech.edu/

Aerospace System Design Lab student design competitions: http://www.asdl.gatech.edu/