New member here, would GREATLY appreciate some aerospace engineer info!
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New member here, would GREATLY appreciate some aerospace engineer info!
Hello,
I just happened upon this forum, and I have to say it seems pretty amazing all the topics it covers, I wish I had found it sooner! I already know this will become a useful resource for me.
Unfortunately, I already must ask for the help and time of any forum members willing to offer it, and this thread will probably seem pretty trivial in comparison to how technical this forum is.
I must conduct a short Q&A for a class assignment of someone within the field of my chosen career, aerospace engineering. They are simple questions about what you like the most about this career, what a typical day on the job is, etc.
If anyone within this field can spare just a couple of minutes to answer questions about this career, I would greatly appreciate it!
1. Any background you would be willing to provide to prove I didn't just make a person up to question: A name to call you by (worded this way intentionally), job title, company, and what is your prior education and work experience?
2. Describe a typical day for you in this career.
3. What do you enjoy the most/find the most interesting about this career?
4. What is the least enjoyable aspect of this career?
5. What skills/knowledge are most often used in a typical day within this career?
6. Why did you decide on this particular career and employer, and are your expectations for it based on this satisfied now?
7. Are there any educational/work decisions you would change, or additional steps you would have taken towards your career path now?
8. Is there any advice you would give to someone considering a career in aerospace engineering, including additional education, preparation, or natural skills that you would deem necessary?
9. What would you suggest for succeeding within this career's job market? What did your employer seem to value the most?
10. What would you suggest for successful networking (should I attend seminars, etc.) if networking is important and applicable in this career?
Of course, if you would rather PM the answers or prefer to omit answers, I'd understand and won't complain!
If no one can or wants to answer, I would also completely understand, and would like to thank everyone in advance for taking the time to read this post anyway.
Thank You!
Arthur
I just happened upon this forum, and I have to say it seems pretty amazing all the topics it covers, I wish I had found it sooner! I already know this will become a useful resource for me.
Unfortunately, I already must ask for the help and time of any forum members willing to offer it, and this thread will probably seem pretty trivial in comparison to how technical this forum is.
I must conduct a short Q&A for a class assignment of someone within the field of my chosen career, aerospace engineering. They are simple questions about what you like the most about this career, what a typical day on the job is, etc.
If anyone within this field can spare just a couple of minutes to answer questions about this career, I would greatly appreciate it!
1. Any background you would be willing to provide to prove I didn't just make a person up to question: A name to call you by (worded this way intentionally), job title, company, and what is your prior education and work experience?
2. Describe a typical day for you in this career.
3. What do you enjoy the most/find the most interesting about this career?
4. What is the least enjoyable aspect of this career?
5. What skills/knowledge are most often used in a typical day within this career?
6. Why did you decide on this particular career and employer, and are your expectations for it based on this satisfied now?
7. Are there any educational/work decisions you would change, or additional steps you would have taken towards your career path now?
8. Is there any advice you would give to someone considering a career in aerospace engineering, including additional education, preparation, or natural skills that you would deem necessary?
9. What would you suggest for succeeding within this career's job market? What did your employer seem to value the most?
10. What would you suggest for successful networking (should I attend seminars, etc.) if networking is important and applicable in this career?
Of course, if you would rather PM the answers or prefer to omit answers, I'd understand and won't complain!
If no one can or wants to answer, I would also completely understand, and would like to thank everyone in advance for taking the time to read this post anyway.
Thank You!
Arthur
Last edited by Artdizzle; 20th Jun 2013 at 22:14.
Art,
Sometimes titles get blurred with translation as to what they really mean - and it's not clear (to me, English UK) who you're aiming your questions at.
Are you aiming for aircraft maintenance mechanics (English US) or factory-type design engineers?
There is a large difference and I don't think there's a lot of design engineers on this forum. (but I am now bound to be proven wrong with that last statement!)
Sometimes titles get blurred with translation as to what they really mean - and it's not clear (to me, English UK) who you're aiming your questions at.
Are you aiming for aircraft maintenance mechanics (English US) or factory-type design engineers?
There is a large difference and I don't think there's a lot of design engineers on this forum. (but I am now bound to be proven wrong with that last statement!)
Sometimes titles get blurred with translation as to what they really mean - and it's not clear (to me, English UK) who you're aiming your questions at.
Are you aiming for aircraft maintenance mechanics (English US) or factory-type design engineers?
There is a large difference and I don't think there's a lot of design engineers on this forum. (but I am now bound to be proven wrong with that last statement!)
Are you aiming for aircraft maintenance mechanics (English US) or factory-type design engineers?
There is a large difference and I don't think there's a lot of design engineers on this forum. (but I am now bound to be proven wrong with that last statement!)
no way to answer questions like the above.
besides I would hate to list my time getting a cup of coffee, sitting in meetings just to listen, answering the phone, calling the wife, staring at the computer screen while reading office E-mails. Running a computer code with different inputs, explaining to the boss why it won't work etc.
Then there is the excitement of scanning PPRuNe looking for postings that I can jump on and tell somebody they are wrong.
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I see! Yes, originally my question was aimed at the "designers" of aircraft/spacecraft, however anyone in the aerospace industry who takes the time to answer the questions will not be ignored... I would definitely be able to use that as my interview as well. My assignment and I are not picky.
Hello,
I just happened upon this forum, and I have to say it seems pretty amazing all the topics it covers, I wish I had found it sooner! I already know this will become a useful resource for me.
Unfortunately, I already must ask for the help and time of any forum members willing to offer it, and this thread will probably seem pretty trivial in comparison to how technical this forum is.
I must conduct a short Q&A for a class assignment of someone within the field of my chosen career, aerospace engineering. They are simple questions about what you like the most about this career, what a typical day on the job is, etc.
If anyone within this field can spare just a couple of minutes to answer questions about this career, I would greatly appreciate it!
I just happened upon this forum, and I have to say it seems pretty amazing all the topics it covers, I wish I had found it sooner! I already know this will become a useful resource for me.
Unfortunately, I already must ask for the help and time of any forum members willing to offer it, and this thread will probably seem pretty trivial in comparison to how technical this forum is.
I must conduct a short Q&A for a class assignment of someone within the field of my chosen career, aerospace engineering. They are simple questions about what you like the most about this career, what a typical day on the job is, etc.
If anyone within this field can spare just a couple of minutes to answer questions about this career, I would greatly appreciate it!
1. Any background you would be willing to provide to prove I didn't just make a person up to question: A name to call you by (worded this way intentionally), job title, company, and what is your prior education and work experience?
2. Describe a typical day for you in this career.
What is common to my job is that virtually nothing I do is "solo" - it's all about teamwork and communication - so I spend a very large amount of my time in meetings or dealing with internal or external communications.
3. What do you enjoy the most/find the most interesting about this career?
4. What is the least enjoyable aspect of this career?
5. What skills/knowledge are most often used in a typical day within this career?
6. Why did you decide on this particular career and employer, and are your expectations for it based on this satisfied now?
I went into aeronautical engineering because of a fascination with the technical aspects of manned flight vehicles. That's never left me.
I originally went into flight testing because I wanted to work with whole flight vehicles and not become an expert in left hand underriage oleos or whatever other narrow specialism an employer wanted to shove me. That has guided my subsequent moves into airworthiness and research.
7. Are there any educational/work decisions you would change, or additional steps you would have taken towards your career path now?
8. Is there any advice you would give to someone considering a career in aerospace engineering, including additional education, preparation, or natural skills that you would deem necessary?
Learn to fly - understanding the operator's issues make a big difference in your ability to engage with them, and give insights that a pure engineering education doesn't provide.
9. What would you suggest for succeeding within this career's job market? What did your employer seem to value the most?
You do need to be an aviation / aerospace obsessive to succeed. It is not *just* a job.
10. What would you suggest for successful networking (should I attend seminars, etc.) if networking is important and applicable in this career?
Have at-least one relevant hobby.
Of course, if you would rather PM the answers or prefer to omit answers, I'd understand and won't complain!
If no one can or wants to answer, I would also completely understand, and would like to thank everyone in advance for taking the time to read this post anyway.
Thank You!
Arthur
If no one can or wants to answer, I would also completely understand, and would like to thank everyone in advance for taking the time to read this post anyway.
Thank You!
Arthur
G
Last edited by Genghis the Engineer; 24th Jun 2013 at 07:38.
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THANK YOU, so much! I was coming up on the deadline for this assignment and all of my avenues for possible interviews were exhausted as of today... I'm not sure what I would have done if you hadn't responded. Couldn't be more grateful! I have just one question for you that I'll be emailing you shortly.
Assignments like these usually aren't genuinely useful, just school work, but as I was thinking of questions to ask, I realized I still didn't actually know what aerospace engineers do, despite my earlier research and the fact that I'm dedicating my whole life to doing this.
So, this has been very enlightening.
I always assumed it was difficult to find out "exactly" what aerospace engineers do because it's such a broad field, as well as because it must be such a dynamic position. You confirmed some of this, but mostly you surprised me with what the position actually entails, and actually I'm perfectly fine with it... somehow it makes the career seem more real, including the not-so-good things that come with it.
Again, thanks for the responses, I appreciate it. I hope to contribute something worthwhile in these forums with my next post.
Assignments like these usually aren't genuinely useful, just school work, but as I was thinking of questions to ask, I realized I still didn't actually know what aerospace engineers do, despite my earlier research and the fact that I'm dedicating my whole life to doing this.
So, this has been very enlightening.
I always assumed it was difficult to find out "exactly" what aerospace engineers do because it's such a broad field, as well as because it must be such a dynamic position. You confirmed some of this, but mostly you surprised me with what the position actually entails, and actually I'm perfectly fine with it... somehow it makes the career seem more real, including the not-so-good things that come with it.
Again, thanks for the responses, I appreciate it. I hope to contribute something worthwhile in these forums with my next post.
THANK YOU, so much! I was coming up on the deadline for this assignment and all of my avenues for possible interviews were exhausted as of today... I'm not sure what I would have done if you hadn't responded. Couldn't be more grateful! I have just one question for you that I'll be emailing you shortly.
Assignments like these usually aren't genuinely useful, just school work, but as I was thinking of questions to ask, I realized I still didn't actually know what aerospace engineers do, despite my earlier research and the fact that I'm dedicating my whole life to doing this.
So, this has been very enlightening.
I always assumed it was difficult to find out "exactly" what aerospace engineers do because it's such a broad field, as well as because it must be such a dynamic position. You confirmed some of this, but mostly you surprised me with what the position actually entails, and actually I'm perfectly fine with it... somehow it makes the career seem more real, including the not-so-good things that come with it.
Again, thanks for the responses, I appreciate it. I hope to contribute something worthwhile in these forums with my next post.
Assignments like these usually aren't genuinely useful, just school work, but as I was thinking of questions to ask, I realized I still didn't actually know what aerospace engineers do, despite my earlier research and the fact that I'm dedicating my whole life to doing this.
So, this has been very enlightening.
I always assumed it was difficult to find out "exactly" what aerospace engineers do because it's such a broad field, as well as because it must be such a dynamic position. You confirmed some of this, but mostly you surprised me with what the position actually entails, and actually I'm perfectly fine with it... somehow it makes the career seem more real, including the not-so-good things that come with it.
Again, thanks for the responses, I appreciate it. I hope to contribute something worthwhile in these forums with my next post.
As for what an aero-eng does, in my opinion that's the wrong question. The right question is about what we can do. A good aero-eng is basically a bundle of skills and knowledge held together by a glue of problem solving ability and propped up by a passion for aviation .
G
Last edited by Genghis the Engineer; 25th Jun 2013 at 06:43.
Moderator
I guess it's similar in other countries .. in Oz, one can find aero eng folk in a vast range of jobs .. as Genghis infers .. and good to see him back in the fold.
One of the guys of my uni vintage decided aero wasn't his cup of tea .. diverted to medicine and is now a specialist anaesthetist. Many end up in commercial management, especially with a few more relevant letters after the name.
One of the guys of my uni vintage decided aero wasn't his cup of tea .. diverted to medicine and is now a specialist anaesthetist. Many end up in commercial management, especially with a few more relevant letters after the name.