HELP.......AERONAUTICAL OR.......?
 

Hai friends . I am new around here.I am in grade 12 and I need help on my further educaion . I am really intrested in aeronautical engineering but the problem is that I dont know wether I am capable of doing it . I am an average student.I heard that it is a very difficult course . I want to know which subjects are more important for it . I came to know that there are different areas in aeronautical like designing,manufacturing,research,maintenance..etc.Which is the good one? Is mathematics very difficult in aeronautical engineering? And also will i get a good job in the future? Can I take a pilot license after aeronautical engineering as i am also intrested in piloting. Will it be beneficial? Please can anyone answer my doubts.

Firstly, I'd recommend starting here.


Secondly, answering your questions:

Does being an average student matter?: yes. You need to work even harder. I was an average student - but it mattered enough that I pushed myself - very hard, this is true of a great many people working in aerospace; there may be a few naturals, but very few.

Which is the good one? All aerospace jobs have the potential to be fascinating and rewarding. The question is - which is the right one for you? Nobody else can answer that, you need to do a lot of research.

Can you take a pilots licence? Yes, at any time - many aeronautical engineers are pilots, quite a few professional pilots have backgrounds in engineering. A few of us manage to combine the two.

Is maths difficult? In some areas, such as research, design, testing - yes it's nasty. Doesn't mean that you can't learn it. In other areas, such as production, maintenance, engineering management - it's still there, but rather less painful.


In a nutshell, there are no easy jobs in aerospace - for anybody, regardless of whether they were poor, average or brilliant students. There are however very few boring or unrewarding jobs in aerospace either. If you want to do it enough, you'll make it.

And best of luck,

G

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

Maths was my biggest problem during my degree. In engineering, of any discipline really, you have to master the essential mathematics. There's no point coming into engineering thinking "I'll be alright, I'll just avoid the maths stuff" because the maths, and of course, physics is unavoidable.

My background is Electrical & Electronic Engineering, but speaking with friends from Aston who have done Civil, Mech and Chem Eng, and looking at their work, the facility required with maths seems the same across the board.

And as my old maths professor (Bill Cox) used to say "I haven’t got a magic injection where I can inject all the formulae into your head - it only sinks in this practice and hard graft". How right he is too!

I strongly agree with GtE on his comments about how the maths level varies with function. The maths I'm using at the minute as a researcher quite frankly makes even my early undergrad maths as easy as 1+1!

All I’ll say is, don’t be afraid of tackling the maths. Just keep practicing it. Yes, you’ll make mistakes to start with – as did we all, but over time, you’ll improve. I’ll second the recommendation for the Stroud book, and also Advanced Engineering Mathematics by Kreyszig. But perhaps start with something a little less taxing.

The first book I’d recommend is Understanding Engineering Mathematics by Bill Cox. He’s the Prof. at Aston I mentioned earlier in the post. The book is aimed not only at the first year university engineering maths, but at the transition from school/college level maths to university level maths.

Anyway, good luck with your future studies and career.

eP.

On the subject of "Engineering mathematics" by Stroud - I've also got it on the shelf. If there's a better book on maths for engineers, scientists, or just the mathematically bewildered, I've not yet found it. Brilliantly clear and well written, with excellent coverage.

He's written an "advanced engineering mathematics" as well, but to my relief, I've so far avoided needing that (and I have an engineering PhD!)

G

Agreed - its a great book. The "advanced engineering mathematics" is also a good book, but I rarely need to consult it. Hopefully this will continue throughout the rest of my PhD!