Training for Aeronautical Engineering
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Sorry I haven't had time to read this full thread, but I'm finishing up Aeronautical Engineering (Aeronautics and Astronautics) at Purdue University this coming December. It's a very challenging program, but I've been interning with Boeing (BCA - 787 program) since 2009, I'm going back this summer, and I have a full-time offer for after I graduate. As someone said above, a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from a reputable school is definitely worth the tuition. Average starting salary for someone with a bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering is somewhere in the neighborhood of $55-60,000.
I originally started out in Air Force ROTC as well, but that didn't work out for me due to a hearing impairment.
Purdue's program grants a diploma in "Aeronautics and Astronautics" but students choose a focus. The differences are:
Aerospace Engineering typically deals with spaceflight, orbital mechanics, rocket propulsion, etc.
Aeronautical Engineering deals with atmospheric flight, airplane design, jet propulsion, more aerodynamics, etc.
In addition, they'll both require a lot of physics, high level maths, some programming, some CAD (computer aided design), and whatever general electives the school requires. It's going to be a lot of work and doesn't really leave time for partying, but it definitely pays off.
By the by, at Boeing I've seen dozens of my classmates from Purdue, but only a handful from ERAU. I don't think ERAU is worth the money they charge for any program. I don't know what the schools are like out east, but Penn State and Virginia Tech also have very good AAE programs.
I originally started out in Air Force ROTC as well, but that didn't work out for me due to a hearing impairment.
Purdue's program grants a diploma in "Aeronautics and Astronautics" but students choose a focus. The differences are:
Aerospace Engineering typically deals with spaceflight, orbital mechanics, rocket propulsion, etc.
Aeronautical Engineering deals with atmospheric flight, airplane design, jet propulsion, more aerodynamics, etc.
In addition, they'll both require a lot of physics, high level maths, some programming, some CAD (computer aided design), and whatever general electives the school requires. It's going to be a lot of work and doesn't really leave time for partying, but it definitely pays off.
By the by, at Boeing I've seen dozens of my classmates from Purdue, but only a handful from ERAU. I don't think ERAU is worth the money they charge for any program. I don't know what the schools are like out east, but Penn State and Virginia Tech also have very good AAE programs.
ERAU is not a big name school in those terms, that tends to be those active in aeronautical research - such as Purdue. The same is true in the UK, or most other countries.
The problem with a teaching only University such as ERAU (a UK equivalent might say be Hertfordshire or Kingston) is that the staff don't have the same day to day contact with what the real world is doing now. The advantage is that they're not distracted by their research and usually are far better teachers at delivering what they do know.
G
The problem with a teaching only University such as ERAU (a UK equivalent might say be Hertfordshire or Kingston) is that the staff don't have the same day to day contact with what the real world is doing now. The advantage is that they're not distracted by their research and usually are far better teachers at delivering what they do know.
G
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Yeah, from what I have seen, ERAU seems to be where people go if they want to go to a good school but don't do a very good job researching what the good schools actually are.
Mary, this may be something worth looking at. US News is generally considered the authority on national college rankings.
Best Aerospace Programs | Top Engineering Schools | US News Best Graduate Schools
Mary, this may be something worth looking at. US News is generally considered the authority on national college rankings.
Best Aerospace Programs | Top Engineering Schools | US News Best Graduate Schools
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Training for Aeronautical Engineering
K 9
Thank you so much for this most important information of the training and what it entails. I will pass the same to my son, James. He has already registered with Purdue. I am sure he will be appreciative of this message.
Once again, thank you.
mary(flyawaybird)
Thank you so much for this most important information of the training and what it entails. I will pass the same to my son, James. He has already registered with Purdue. I am sure he will be appreciative of this message.
Once again, thank you.
mary(flyawaybird)
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Training for Aeronautical Engineering
GengHis the Engineer
Hi there,
Once agian I sincerely thank you for your continued support in supplying me with more information relating to Aeronautical Engineering. I will pass this important message to my son, James. He has registered in Purdue and Penn State University. He was asking me about the universities in Britain. I know that they are more expensive than in USA. What I don't know is whether they offer scholarships to students coming from developping countries.
However, I will pass on this message.
Do have a lovely day.
Mary
Hi there,
Once agian I sincerely thank you for your continued support in supplying me with more information relating to Aeronautical Engineering. I will pass this important message to my son, James. He has registered in Purdue and Penn State University. He was asking me about the universities in Britain. I know that they are more expensive than in USA. What I don't know is whether they offer scholarships to students coming from developping countries.
However, I will pass on this message.
Do have a lovely day.
Mary
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A more comprehensive list of engineering schools:
Best Engineering School Rankings | Engineering Program Rankings | US News
Best Engineering School Rankings | Engineering Program Rankings | US News
A more comprehensive list of engineering schools:
Best Engineering School Rankings | Engineering Program Rankings | US News
Best Engineering School Rankings | Engineering Program Rankings | US News
Comparing approximately like-with-like, Georgia Tech comes out at US$25k.pa, whilst for a UK/EU eligible student doing Aerospace Engineering at Southampton would currently cost £3.3k (yes I know that's going to go up to £6k or so), or for a non-EU student £13.8k (US$22.4k). So the UK degree cost at a top-rank University is similar or slightly cheaper for an American student to staying at home, add into which is the experience of spending time abroad, and that normally a UK degree is a year faster than in the US - which saves a lot of money.
G
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MIT
I know MIT make many lectures available FREE if you can access "youtube". Caution is required when declaring one institution is "better" than another.
Of great importance is the fact that the student must feel COMFORTABLE in the place he/she attends. By this I mean that you cannot school a racehorse with a donkey. Some places assume a lot of competence whilst others don't.
Some are finishing schools for gifted kids who have no intention of using the skills other than to get the black type after their name and move onto other things. The MBA is popular right now.
Do not be influenced by the "good" and the "bad" classifications. Many of the "good" places produce engineers who will never actually use a tool or see a finished product.
Does the candidate ENJOY the "hands on" type of engineering or is the student a "book worm"?
On a personal note I would advise your son to stay in the U.S. But that's subjective. Does he like playing foot or basket ball?
Of great importance is the fact that the student must feel COMFORTABLE in the place he/she attends. By this I mean that you cannot school a racehorse with a donkey. Some places assume a lot of competence whilst others don't.
Some are finishing schools for gifted kids who have no intention of using the skills other than to get the black type after their name and move onto other things. The MBA is popular right now.
Do not be influenced by the "good" and the "bad" classifications. Many of the "good" places produce engineers who will never actually use a tool or see a finished product.
Does the candidate ENJOY the "hands on" type of engineering or is the student a "book worm"?
On a personal note I would advise your son to stay in the U.S. But that's subjective. Does he like playing foot or basket ball?
In both countries: the UK's pre-eminent sporting University, Loughborough, also has a very good aeronautical engineering programme, for exampls.
I'd also be careful of using the word "football", it means different things in different countries.
I do absolutely agree however about getting the student matched culturally to the institution. In the UK, for example, an academically brilliant student with two left hands will do well starting his career at Imperial, whilst somebody with a much more practical than academic bent may be better at Hertfordshire or Kingston - in between institutions like Glasgow or Brunel tend to demand a reasonable balance. All four on the other hand, I'd class as "good" for this industry, even if some are rather higher in the league tables than others.
G
I'd also be careful of using the word "football", it means different things in different countries.
I do absolutely agree however about getting the student matched culturally to the institution. In the UK, for example, an academically brilliant student with two left hands will do well starting his career at Imperial, whilst somebody with a much more practical than academic bent may be better at Hertfordshire or Kingston - in between institutions like Glasgow or Brunel tend to demand a reasonable balance. All four on the other hand, I'd class as "good" for this industry, even if some are rather higher in the league tables than others.
G
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Also, I maintain that academic-type extracurricular activities are far more impressive to a potential employer than participation in intramural sports or fraternities. None of my interviewers asked me about any sports I played in high school, but they all asked me about my extracurricular activities. Some examples of great things to get involved in at college:
Purdue Solar Racing - Purdue Solar Racing
EPICS - Engineering Projects in Community Service
AIAA Student Design/Build/Fly Competition
This was my team's report: http://www.aiaadbf.org/2008_files/Rpt2-Team_Shadow_Drag_Purdue_University.pdf
I worked on the initial sizing analysis, configuration trade studies, control testing in our low speed tunnel (if you've never been inside an operating wind tunnel, it's rather fun
), and designed the payload restraint system.
I think you're right K_9, although equally nobody will be penalised for playing sport in their spare time.
There are many extracurricular projects going on around the world in universities, I particularly like the Heavy Lift Challenge in the UK, for example, and when I was a student was very involved in projects within SEDS, which definitely did me a lot of good. Not aerospace, but one of the best internationally is Formula Student.
G
There are many extracurricular projects going on around the world in universities, I particularly like the Heavy Lift Challenge in the UK, for example, and when I was a student was very involved in projects within SEDS, which definitely did me a lot of good. Not aerospace, but one of the best internationally is Formula Student.
G
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Of course not--I'm just saying, I think extracurricular activities that are more academic or community-service in nature make for better resume builders.
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If your son interested in studying in Europe.choose universities which are part of Pegasus groups.all these are prestigious.some of them are cheap even like delft university of technology in holland.if you need any thing specific drop a line
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MIT
DERG
Thank you for your suggestion. This will go along way to assist him wherever he although I know right now, he intends to stay in USA. James leans on hands on much more than a book warm, although I know that he will read for exams and so does everyone. He is actually applied to all universities suggested here. Unless he is not admitted in all six, then we will consider going out of USA. As it is the colleges in question have started responding. So we will see how this fairs on.
Once again thank you for all your info.
flyawaybird.
Thank you for your suggestion. This will go along way to assist him wherever he although I know right now, he intends to stay in USA. James leans on hands on much more than a book warm, although I know that he will read for exams and so does everyone. He is actually applied to all universities suggested here. Unless he is not admitted in all six, then we will consider going out of USA. As it is the colleges in question have started responding. So we will see how this fairs on.
Once again thank you for all your info.
flyawaybird.
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DERG
Thank you for your suggestion. This will go along way to assist him wherever he although I know right now, he intends to stay in USA. James leans on hands on much more than a book warm, although I know that he will read for exams and so does everyone. He is actually applied to all universities suggested here. Unless he is not admitted in all six, then we will consider going out of USA. As it is the colleges in question have started responding. So we will see how this fairs on.
Once again thank you for all your info.
flyawaybird.
Thank you for your suggestion. This will go along way to assist him wherever he although I know right now, he intends to stay in USA. James leans on hands on much more than a book warm, although I know that he will read for exams and so does everyone. He is actually applied to all universities suggested here. Unless he is not admitted in all six, then we will consider going out of USA. As it is the colleges in question have started responding. So we will see how this fairs on.
Once again thank you for all your info.
flyawaybird.
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Training for Aeronautical Engineering
GengHis the Engineer
Hi,
Thank you for your continued assistance in the above-mentioned subject.
James has already applied to all suggested Universities here responses and is waiting for responses from various places. We also appreciates the list of Universities that you have sent to me.
However, he believes your suggestion is a real good one in case of fees being lower than in USA and also having less time at the University. He is at it, I mean applying all over. We'll see what happens and the offers he gets.
Once again, i thank you sincerely on behalf of James.
Thank you.
Bye for now.
flyawaybird
Hi,
Thank you for your continued assistance in the above-mentioned subject.
James has already applied to all suggested Universities here responses and is waiting for responses from various places. We also appreciates the list of Universities that you have sent to me.
However, he believes your suggestion is a real good one in case of fees being lower than in USA and also having less time at the University. He is at it, I mean applying all over. We'll see what happens and the offers he gets.
Once again, i thank you sincerely on behalf of James.
Thank you.
Bye for now.
flyawaybird
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Genghis. Do you know if there any reputable distance learning degree programs available in the UK for aeronautical engineering. If not I will probably look to sign up with Embry Riddle Worldwide. So if anyone has had any experience doing distance learning with Embry I would be interested to know. Also how well regarded are Embry Degrees in the UK and/or USA?
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Genghis. Do you know if there any reputable distance learning degree programs available in the UK for aeronautical engineering. If not I will probably look to sign up with Embry Riddle Worldwide. So if anyone has had any experience doing distance learning with Embry I would be interested to know. Also how well regarded are Embry Degrees in the UK and/or USA?