What is Aeronautical Engineering?
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Written By: Andrew Jones
Edited By: Lucy Oppenheimer
Last Modified Date: 24 June 2011
Copyright Protected:
2003-2011 Conjecture Corporation
Edited By: Lucy Oppenheimer
Last Modified Date: 24 June 2011
Copyright Protected:
2003-2011 Conjecture Corporation
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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 airfoils, more commonly known as wings. An airfoil is a device that uses its shape to produce lift when moved through air, thereby counteracting the force of gravity. Moreover, by changing the shape of an airfoil in flight, either by bending it, or by attaching smaller, movable airfoils, the direction of an aircraft may be controlled.
Propulsion is another important aspect of aeronautical engineering. It is the force which allows an airplane to remain in flight, and encompasses the design and implementation of engines. Without propulsion, an aircraft can only fly for a very limited amount of time and distance.
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Modern aircraft make use of a plethora of on-board equipment, ranging from electronic devices designed to provide information to the pilot, to such things as pressurization, climate control, seating, toilets, and landing gear. In each area, the aeronautical engineer must work out the trade-off between utility versus added weight. In many cases, unique devices and systems must be developed in order to make the trade-off acceptable. For example, the toilet on a modern airliner is a far more expensive and specialized device than the toilet in a residential home. However, it weighs much less, and functions more efficiently in an airborne environment.
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. A modern airplane, however, 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.
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Discuss this Article
| anon189928 Post 13 | awesome. but do many students take an interest in aeronautical engineering? |
| anon165525 Post 11 | so, Aeronautical engineering involves everything included before assembly? Cool. |
| anon164352 Post 10 | depending on location, e.g. country. for example, the australian military engineering isn't too good due to the fact only ultra light aircraft are produced here. all the military use are british and usa aircraft so all the engineering side comes from those places. |
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| anon147897 Post 8 | i like this information and especially pelestears comment. thank you very much! |
| anon146347 Post 7 | thank you very much! it's just what i need. |
| anon143474 Post 6 | at present which field in aeronautics has an extreme importance so that aeronautical engineering graduates can find plenty of jobs? |
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| cougars Post 5 | @ Amphibious54- The BLS outlook for aeronautical engineering jobs is good. Graduates should expect to find plenty of work, especially since there has been a recent push to develop new and more efficient military and commercial aircraft as well as new weapons systems. Aerospace engineers are also the fourth highest paid engineers behind petroleum, computer hardware, and nuclear engineers. The average aerospace engineer earns over $90,000 a year. |
| PelesTears Post 4 | @ Amphibious54- At first glance aeronautical and aerospace engineering may seem like a narrow field, but there are numerous options and specialties within the field. In fact, aerospace engineering has the seventh highest employment distribution of all fields of engineering, topping environmental, chemical, materials and petroleum engineering. Aerospace engineers can specialize in guidance systems, structural design, manufacturing, control and navigation or communications systems. Aerospace engineers can also specialize in a specific type of air or spacecraft, and often become experts in certain areas of physics like thermodynamics, aerodynamics, or acoustics. There are many different options for those interested in aerospace engineering. |
| Amphibious54 Post 3 | Aeronautical engineering seems like a narrow engineering field. What kinds of jobs can someone with an aeronautical engineering degree expect to find? What is the pay compared to other fields of engineering? |
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| anon105097 Post 1 | Very useful information. Thanks a lot. |
