Aeronautical Engineering

Introduction

“Aeronautical Engineering” is one of the most popular fields for the students who wish to make their career in aircraft, airplanes, jet planes and space shuttles.

Aeronautical engineering is the deep study of “Aeronautics”. Aeronautics term has come from the ancient Greek word “Aer” which means ‘Air’ and “Nautike” which means ‘navigation of the air’.

Aeronautics is the art or science of the manufacturing, design, and study of air flight capable machines.

“Aeronautical engineering involves the study, design and research of the machines or airplanes which moves in the space and air sphere of the earth”.

Aeronautical engineers use their technical knowledge in designing, constructing, maintaining and testing the aircraft and related systems.

The field, Aeronautical engineering is the best career oriented field. It is one of the challenging fields of engineering. The aeronautical engineering deals with the technology and development in aviation, defense and exploration system.

Course & Duration

Aeronautical engineering is an emerging field of engineering study. The basic requirements for the course, that the students’ must have a good command over the mathematics, physics and chemistry. The students’ have a choice to choose the field after 10+2 with good percentage.

There are three types of courses in India of aeronautical engineering.

1. Polytechnic diploma course with the duration of 3 years after 10 or 10+2 examination.
2. UG degree courses leading to the BE/B.Tech with the duration of 4 years after 10+2 examination.
3. PG degree courses leading to the ME/M.Tech with the duration of 2 years after the completion of UG degree in engineering.
4. Doctoral degree courses leading to the PhD domain with the duration of 1-2 years after the completion of PG degree in AE.

Admission Process

Students need to appear in JEE Main to get the admission in UG programme. For admission to PG engineering courses like M.Tech candidates have to appear in GATE exam.

All IITs and NITs conduct the engineering programme in aeronautical engineering. There are some other universities and colleges in India (Punjab, Tamil Nadu & Maharashtra) which offers the same programme.

The student who had a B.Tech degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering or mechanical engineering can get the admission in M.Tech with aeronautical engineering.

To get admission in M.Tech programme, it is mandatory for the candidates to qualify Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). Through this entrance test, students will be able to take admission in IITs or NITs regulating M.Tech in Aeronautical engineering.

Some states and institutions/Universities also organizes its own entrance exam to provide admissions.

The students are taught about the navigation system, control systems, communication & radar system, structural design, maintenance, quality check, testing launch, development and manufacturing of the aircraft and spacecraft.

Top aeronautical colleges in India are listed below

• Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Bombay
• Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Kharagpur
• Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Madras
• Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Kanpur

Specialization

The specializations of aeronautical engineering are as the following:

• Electronic Systems
• Aerospace Propulsion
• Ground Vehicle Systems
• Aircraft Structures and Materials
• Structural Analysis
• Transportation Systems
• Aerodynamics and Fluid Dynamics
• Structural Design and Engineering
• Instrumentation And Communication
• Navigational Guidance and Control Systems

Skills Required

• Team working and communication skills
• Ability to think creative
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Time Management Skills
• Flexibility

Jobs & Career

There are lots of companies which recruit the aeronautical engineers. The work fields of the aeronautical engineers are becoming the broader with the growing technology over the world.

All government & private aviation organizations and aircraft & spacecraft manufacturing and testing units generally require the trained candidates.

The career in aeronautical engineering is very reputed, respectfully and challenging and moreover, it is very good in order to the handsome paying job.

After the completion of degree in aeronautical engineering you are eligible for not only in design & production of aircraft and spacecraft but also in turbine, high-speed trains (bullet trains), flying gadgets and turbine production & design.

Some of the job profiles are as the following:

• Thermal Design Engineer
• Consultants
• Mechanical Design Engineer
• Aerospace Designer Checker
• Graduate Engineer Trainees
• Assistant Technical Officers
• Assistant Aircraft Engineers
• Aircraft Production Manager

Recruiters

Some of the reputed recruiters of aeronautical engineering are as the following:

• HAL
• DRDO
• ISRO
• Air India
• Indian Airlines
• Helicopter Corporation of India
• DRDL
• NAL
• ADE
• Civil Aviation department
• Private air lines
• Flight clubs

Salary

An aeronautical engineer earns the average salary in India between the 5lakh to 6 lakh per annum. It has a great opportunity to work in the government sector. The salaries in the government sector are decided as per the pay scale for the particular post.

The aeronautical engineering has a wide scope of getting high salaries by merging their skill and innovative ideas on one field.

A good academician background also triggers to the career and salary.

It has a good scope of careers in Abroad also. You can get the initial package of $70000 to 100000 per annum in abroad.

Books & Study Material

Some of the preferred books and references are as the following:

• Modern Compressible Flow with Historical Perspective By Anderson, J.D
• Elements of Gas Dynamics By Liepmann, H.W., and Roshko
• Fluid Mechanics By Landau, L.D., & Lifshitz, E.M
• Aerodynamics, Aeronautics & Flight Mechanics By McCormick, B.W
• Flight Stability and Automatic Control By Nelson, R.C
• Dynamics of Flight By Etkin, B. and Reid, L.D
• Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics By McCormick, B.W
• Aerodynamics for Engineers By Bertin, J.J
• The Dynamics and Thermodynamics of Compressible Fluid Flow By Shapiro, A.H
• Aircraft Structures for Engineering Students By Megson, T.H.G
• Aircraft Structures By Peery, D.J. and Azar, J.J
• Jet Propulsion By Cumpsty, N
• Gas Turbine Theory By Saravanamuttoo, H.I.H., Rogers, G.F.C. and Cohen, H
• Gas Turbine Engineering Handbook By Boyce, M.P
• Air Transportation: A Management Perspective By Wensven
• Global Airline Industry By Belobaba, P., Odoni, A. and Barnhart, C
• Airframe Analysis and Sizing By Niu, M.C
• Airframe Structural Design By Niu, M.C
• Elements of Gas Turbine Propulsion By Mattingly, J.D
• Fundamentals of Jet Propulsion with Applications By Flack, R.D
• Aerothermodynamics of Aircraft Engine Components By Oates, G.C
• Airline Operations and Scheduling By M. Bazargan, M
• Airport Planning and Management By Wells, A. and Young

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