Aircraft Engineering

Subject Description

Would you be happy taking ultimate responsibility for declaring an aircraft airworthy?  Could you confidently make decisions which could have significant impact on the safety of potentially thousands of holiday-makers ever year?  If so then Aircraft Engineering could be the course for you. As an aircraft engineer, you would be ultimately responsible for deeming an aircraft airworthy in accordance to local and international aviation standards, and therefore carry considerable legal responsibility.

All courses in aircraft engineering combine academic modules with work-based or laboratory-based practical modules providing students with not only an understanding of the work environment and legal requirements of this arena, but also hands-on experience of situations such as fault diagnosis, equipment replacement and designing aircraft components.  Most institutions offering aircraft engineering offer access to specific resources to support this style of learning, for example your chosen institution may have access to a plane fuselage in order for you to gain direct and practical experience of working on this piece of equipment.  Most institutions offering this subject will also have strong ties with certain companies within the industry and it will be worth exploring these options when making your decision over which institution to apply to.

Courses in aircraft engineering are designed to allow for progression directly into the aviation industry at management or technician level and therefore employ a number of teaching methods, from the teaching of project management through studying theories of management in a seminar format through to developing an in-depth knowledge of how an airplane engine functions by mechanically stripping an engine down.  As a result, assessment is a deliberate mix of examination, assessed coursework and assessed essays as well as presentations, individual projects, experimental work and, in some instances, the opportunity to study towards a private pilots licence.

Example Areas of Study

You will need to check with your preferred institution directly to find out the exact subjects you will be studying; however, typical subjects covered by social enterprise include:

• Aircraft technology and materials
• Aircraft maintenance and logistics
• Business applications in engineering
• Quality systems
• Modern aircraft technology
• Engineering reliability and reliability-centred aircraft maintenance
• Integrated system analysis
• Data processing
• Transmission and computer control systems
• Fault detection and diagnosis
• Engineering management
• Human factors and supervisory management
• Mathematics
• Fluid mechanics
• Introduction to aviation technology
• Transport policy
• Engineering materials
• Flight dynamics
• Basic psychology and physiology
• Aircraft engines
• Statistics
• Aviation fuels
• Management and economics
• Management and control
• Avionics
• Aviation legislation
• Aerodynamics
• Industrial finance
• Aviation design
• Aerodynamics and electronic instrument systems
• Aircraft materials and hardware
• Engineering fundamentals
• Turbine engines and propellers
• Workshop and hangar practice
• Electrical engineering
• Safety management in aircraft engineering
• Materials and hardware
• Aeroplane propulsion systems
• Aircraft electronic techniques and digital systems
• Business applications in engineering

Some Career Possibilities

A predicted shortfall of c.5,000 aircraft engineers in the next few years will stand any graduate of aircraft engineering in good stead in terms of starting their career.  With the explosion in air travel and the need for tightly controlled safety regulations as well as ongoing demands for better, more efficient and more economic aircraft, graduates in this area will find themselves with a strong choice of options.  The majority of graduates will progress into one of the major aerospace companies and in doing so you will find yourself able to advance your career swiftly.  However, you will also have the option to transfer your skills to the automotive industry, energy industries and to chemical engineering as well as there being a number of consulting opportunities within the service industries and within government departments.

What do I need to get on a Course?

Entry requirements vary from course to course so you will need to check with your preferred institution to get up-to-date information on the requirements they have for entry.  To give you a general idea of what is expected please see below:

• UCAS Tariff: 260-300 points including a relevant science or engineering subject
• A Levels: BCC-BBB
• SQA Advanced Higher: BBB
• International baccalaureate: 32 points
• Foundation Degree: Aircraft Engineering
• HND: Aeronautical Engineering
• Professional Qualification: EASA IR P166 B1 / B2 licence or equivalent
• Achievements in chemistry, mathematics or physics are desirable at all levels

For your application or Interview, the following may be useful:

• A keen interest in the mechanics of air travel
• A strong ability to examine problems from both a theoretical and practical point of view in order to develop a solution
• Further information can be found at The New Scientist and the Aviation Dictionary

To find out more about the typical subjects you will study, potential career paths and further information useful for your application log-on to Course Discover atwww.coursediscoveronline.co.uk*

*NB: Your school or college will need a subscription to Course Discover in order for you to gain access, for further information go to:www.coursediscover.co.uk