Degree choices for aircraft design.

[Rupert S]

Hello - I'm about to start applying to uni courses. Eventually I want to either go into commercial flying or Engineering (the design part). For the engineering part, I'd like to do things like design aircraft systems, avionics etc. Anyone know which courses are the best for this type of job?
I was thinking of applying to Aeronautical Engineering, Avionics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Mechanical engineering. I've aslo seen something called Air Transport engineering but this seems like a bit of a useless qualification.
Thanks in advance
Rupert S := :}

[Genghis the Engineer]

Firstly degrees calling themselves Aerospace Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering are pretty much the same.

Mechanical engineering will concentrate far more on stress analysis, detail design, etc. and less on the whole-vehicle design stuff which comes in the Aero-Eng courses. Nonetheless if you are looking at a job with, say BAE, it'll stand you in very good stead and I can't say I've ever met a long-term unemployed MechEng graduate.

Skip electrical and power engineering the aerospace coverage will be limited. Electronic Engineering less so, but there are specialist "Aerospace Systems" degrees which are essentially electronics with lots of Avionics design and most of the core element of Aero-Eng - Southampton's for example.

Good universities: Southampton, Glasgow, Bath, Imperial (if you like Maths), Hatfield, Kingston all in my opinion produce good graduates (I'm sure I've missed somebody out, there may well be equally good departments out there I don't know).

Could I also mention a thread I started this morning on "Questions" at http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97350 which has some mild relevance.

G

[BombayDuck]

Is there something like Avionics Engineering? If so, where can I study it (UK/US)? If not, what courses should I take to fit the bill? I want to do a Master's in Aviation Instrumentation & Devices (which we have in IIT Bombay here) and am ready to do it abroad. I will finish my Electrical Engineering degree next year.

Thanks in Advance, hope the post is relevant to the topic and forum. :O

[Genghis the Engineer]

Yes at Cranfield (http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/prospectus/soe/aerodynam2.htm#av)

G

[BombayDuck]

thank you so much!!!

now all I need is options in America (since I have relatives there who can support me)...

[Rupert S]

MIT in america probably do it.

[Genghis the Engineer]

What about Embry Riddle? (http://www.erau.edu/0Universe/01/01b-aeroelectronics.html)

G

[BombayDuck]

been through Embry Riddle, they dont seem to have Avionics.

And I emailed the Aero dept at Cranfield, they dont offer Avionics anymore :(

MIT, well, *sigh* :sad:

[Genghis the Engineer]

The link I posted is to an aviation electronics degree. This is exactly the same thing as avionics.

G

[BombayDuck]

I emailed them asking for more information. I got a reply saying they have now discontinued the course. :(

[MikeSamuel]

Try Coventry University - I work with some guys on the Avionics course there.

[BombayDuck]

its not offered on Post Grad though - searched for Aeronautics, Aerospace and Avionics, no luck.

so far I have noted down Georgia Tech, Southern California, Ohio among others.... Cranfield is scratched out...

[Port Strobe]

Here's a link to Glasgow's site, they do Avionics. I'm just about to start my 2nd year on AeroEng there.

http://www.aero.gla.ac.uk

[BombayDuck]

thank you! will check it out.

[STC]

There are a few different paths when it comes to aerospace engineering with respect to "avionics".

If you want to be a guy who designs the boxes, you should pursue a degree in Electronic Engineering.

If you want to be a guy who designs the systems on the airframe “using” the boxes you should pursue a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in one of the electronic/avionics streams.

My personal opinion though, is that good avionics systems engineers are few and far between. You need many years of experience to supplement the typically weak exposure to real world avionics that most programs offer. (IMHO)

[Military Man]

Hi there

Just thought id add my little bit, ive recently entered the world of Aerospace Engineering studies and whilst searching through the Kingston University website, after seeing your thread i noticed they do an Aerospace Engineering Design Degree, you might wanna check it out.

http://www.kingston.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/h400.htm

Hope this helps in some way or another

Best of luck