PEOPLE WHO USE AIRPLANES IN THEIR WORK

Aerial Fire Fighters: He or she observes forest fires from the air, directs fire fighters on ground by radio, and dumps water or chemicals on fires.

Aerial Photographer: This person takes photographs events, landscapes, or scenery from the air.

Aerial Prospector: He or she uses airborne electronic instruments to locate and map mineral deposit areas.

Aerial Sight-seeing Pilot/Guide: This person conducts sight-seeing tours in aircraft.

Air Taxi Pilot: This pilot provides air taxi service for the public.

Crop Duster: This pilot is responsible for spraying, dusting, fertilizing, or seeding crops or orchards.

Flight Doctor/Nurse: This person attends to sick or injured military personnel in flight.

Paramedic: It is this person's job to parachute to give medical air and to rescue injured or lost persons in rough country.

Search and Rescue:

Skywriter/Sign Dragger: This person pilots skywriting aircraft releasing chemicals to create words in the sky or drags an advertising banner behind their aircraft.

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PEOPLE WHO TEST AND INSPECT

For these first jobs, you would need a college degree in a technical field such as Mathematics, Science, or Engineering:

Failure Analysis Engineer:

When you read about an airplane crash in the paper, or hear about it in the news, they always talk about the team of experts who are sent out to analyze the wreckage to determine why the plane crashed. The failure analysis engineer is a key member of that team. He or she may be an expert in a specific area, like structures, propulsion, or control systems, or perhaps know a lot about the overall aircraft. In the event of a failure, whether it is a simple system malfunction or a catastrophic failure like a crash, the failure analysis engineer will try to recreate what happened, analyze it, and then recommend changes to avoid the problem again. Failure analysis engineers usually have at least a BS degree in science or engineering.

Flight Operations:

All of the operations of an airport or test facility are managed by the flight operations people. They oversee the flying, training, and maintenance schedules for the pilots and airplanes. When a pilot is scheduled for a check flight, they're the ones who set it up and assign a check pilot to the flight. We've interviewed the person in charge of Flight Operations at Dryden Research Center to tell you more about himself. Click below to meet him!

Performance Engineer:

Once an airplane is designed and evaluated, a prototype, or full-sized model is built. The performance engineer is one of the team that tests and evaluates the performance of the plane and its systems. If the design team has done its job well, all systems should be A-OK. Sometimes, though, unforeseen problems came crop up, and the performance engineer has to work with the design team to clear up the problem. Performance engineers usually have at least a BS in science or engineering.

Test Engineer:

The test engineer is another member of the team that checks out a new aircraft. He or she works with the performance engineer, conducting studies to determine how well the craft or individual equipment is operating. If the new aircraft or system does not satisfy the original design requirements, it's back to the drawing board! Most test engineers have at least a BS degree in science or engineering.

Weight and Balance Engineer:

Most people don't realize that when they and their luggage get on the plane, a weight and balance engineer has already determined where they should sit and where their bags should be placed to make sure that the plane is properly balanced. This may not seem very important to you, but the pilot and the design team think it is. The plane may not fly well or may break if it isn't balanced right! Think about it - have you ever tried to float a boat in water, but you put all the weight on one side of the boat? It probably sank, didn't it? So, the weight and balance engineer studies the loads on a plane or a missile, and he or she works with the other design engineers to ensure that the balance points on the plane or missile coordinate with the controls and structural systems. Then the plane or missile will perform as designed! These engineers usually have BS degrees in civil, mechanical, or aerospace engineering.

People in these next positions usually have at least one college degree in a technical field, or years of technical experience:

Aircraft Maintenance Inspector:

When something as big and complex as an airplane is being built, and people's lives depend on it working perfectly every time, there are many checks and checkpoints during the building process. A maintenance inspector checks the aircraft parts, systems, instruments, and engines as it is being built. He or she supervises the work of the mechanics and technicians and evaluates the training methods for these line positions. In addition, the maintenance inspector checks the airline maintenance practices, inventories the spare-parts stock, and complies with safety rules for general aviation. It's a busy job! Click on the interview to meet an inspector who would like to tell you about a typical day on his job.

Maintenance Technician or Engineer:

These are the people who actually get to work on the airplanes during the test phase. Both technicians and engineers will determine what may be the problem, and what will be the solution. Within a group, individuals may have specialties such as electromechanical, structures, or propulsion, but they all work together. The engineers will all have at least one college degree; the technicians may have a degree or years of experience. Click on our interview to meet someone who would like to tell you about his job!

Airways Flight Inspector:

Have you ever been to the airport after dark or when the weather is dark and cloudy? Have you seen all the brightly colored lights that line the runways? These are part of the system that helps pilots land the planes when they can't really see where they are going. In addition to the lights, pilots have instruments called navigational aids to help them pilot the aircraft in for a landing. The airways flight inspector is the person who checks and evaluates these navigational aids such as radio beacons, laser systems, and satellite control systems. He or she may be the actual pilot who flies the plane to test these systems, or he or she may be along for the ride. Either way, before the plane can be cleared for normal use, these systems must be checked.

Crash Site Investigator:

Just like the failure analysis engineer, the crash site investigator is a member of the team of experts sent to the site of an airplane crash. He or she examines the wreckage and evidence at the site to try to determine the cause of the accident. In the military, at least one of these investigators will be another pilot who has extra training in crash site investigation. Click on the interview to hear from one!

Electronics Inspector:

Just like the airways flight inspector, the performance engineer, and the test engineer, the electronics inspector is a member of the testing team for checking the newly built or repaired airplane. In addition to inspecting the electronics equipment on board, he or she, like the maintenance inspector, also oversees the work the electronics technicians do and their training. The electronics inspector also examines the manufacturer and airline's compliance with safety rules for the equipment.

Engineering Flight Test Inspector:

Before the aircraft can be released to the airline that bought it, or to a private pilot, the engineering flight test inspector must check the overall worthiness of the newly built or repaired aircraft for certification. He or she evaluates all the reports of the inspection team members and compares their results with FAA rules and regulations before certify the aircraft for flight.

Flight Safety Research Specialist:

After the crash site inspection team has determined a cause for the crash of an aircraft, the flight safety research specialist studies the reports of the accident, and others like it, to promote safety by recommending improvements to the aircraft design, changes to maintenance or inspection procedures, or new regulations. In addition, flight safety specialists do inspections to ensure that all regulations are being followed. If you would like to meet a specialist, click on the interview.

Manufacturing Inspector:

At the end of the production lines for individual aircraft parts, systems, and instruments, the manufacturing inspectors must check each item for problems and ensure that each one meets the specifications. The inspector may be a trained engineer or a foreman with years of experience.

Test Pilot:

Some pilots (and most of them will be test pilots) will tell you that the very best flying job to be had is as a test pilot! It's certainly rewarding and fun, but it is also risky - very risky. These are the pilots who fly the new planes or the experimental planes to check their performance and handling. They must push the airplane to its maximum levels to test it fully. If the engineers and designers have made a mistake on something, it could be dicey for the pilot! Test pilots must be excellent pilots with a lot of solid flying knowledge. A lot of test pilots come from the military. We have 2 test pilots we'd like you to meet! Click on one of the interviews to hear more!

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PEOPLE WHO USE AERODYNAMICS BUT MAYBE DON'T KNOW IT

Wind Surfer:

Golf Club Design:

Car Designer:

Sail Designer:

Biomedical Engineers:

Boat Designer:

Bridge Designer:

Architect/Building Designer:

Bike and Bike Helmet Designer:

Amusement Park Ride Designer:

Kite Designer/Flyer:

Submarine Designer:

Ballistics Expert:

Hot Air Balloon Designer:

Hang Glider Designer:

Toy Designer:

Aircraft Litigation: Provide expert witness services in law suits involving plane crashes. Generally very knowledgable about specific systems or circumstances. Usually have more than one college degree and/or years of experience.

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PEOPLE WHO LIKE THINGS THAT FLY

Some of our choices in this section may surprise you. These positions aren't necessarily engineering positions, yet the people in them may know a lot about aerodynamics and flying! The first group of careers generally require a college degree, and the second group may not.

Education and Learning Technologies: This job calls for one to assist schools, teachers, and youth groups to increase knowledge of aviation. Usually this person has a degree in a technical field.

                                           

Aviation Historian:

Aviation Museum Curator:

Aviation Writer: This writer reports on new developments in aviation and space exploration for newspapers, magazines, and books. This person usually has a journalism degree, with perhaps some technical training as well.

Bird Expert (Ornithologist):

Flying Mammals Expert:

Insect Expert:

Paleoaerodynamicist:

State Aeronautics Director: He or she promotes aviation within his/her state, administers state regulations, and aids communities in building airports. Will often have a technical degree and/or a pilot's license.

These positions may not require a college degree:

Aircraft Salesperson: He or she demonstrates light planes to customers and sells aircraft parts and accessories.

Beekeeper:

Civil Air Patrol:

ROTC Instructor/Recruiter:

Sky Diver:

Stunt Pilot: Stunt pilots perform aerobatic maneuvers usually for the entertainment of observers on the ground.

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PEOPLE WHO FLY

Air Cargo Pilot: This pilot transports airfreight from one airport to another.

Airline Captain: This pilot is responsible for the safety of the passengers and cargo. He or she makes flight plans with the dispatcher and meteorologist, makes preflight checks of the aircraft, operates the controls, and supervises the crew.

Check pilot: This pilot observes other pilots' proficiency on check flights and trains new pilots.

Co-pilot: The co-pilot assists the pilot in the operation of the flight controls , watches the instruments and weather, handles radio communications, and keeps logs.

Corporate Pilot: The corporate pilot flies aircraft owned by business or industrial firms transporting company executives on flight to branch plants or business meetings.

Flight Engineer: The flight engineer monitors the in- flight operation of the engines and aircraft's mechanical and electrical systems.

Flight Instructor: This pilot teaches student pilots how to fly. They demonstrate and explain, on the ground and in the air, basic principles of flight, aerial navigation, weather factors, and Federal Aviation Regulations.

Helicopter Pilot: These pilots can make flights to otherwise inaccessible areas.

Pipeline Patrol Pilot: This pilot inspects oil pipelines from low-flying planes.

Navigator: The navigator plots the course, reports positions, and estimates arrival time.

These positions may not require a college degree:

Aerial Sight-seeing Pilot/Guide: This person conducts sight-seeing tours in aircraft.

Air Taxi Pilot: This pilot provides air taxi service for the public.

Crop Duster: This pilot is responsible for spraying, dusting, fertilizing, or seeding crops or orchards.

Flight Attendant: He or she checks passengers' names and destinations, enforces safety rules, serves food, oversees passengers' comfort, and directs evacuation procedures in the case of an emergency. A high school diploma is required but applicants with several years of college or experience in dealing with the public are preferred.

Flight Simulator Instructor: This person trains pilots and checks their skills, using a flight simulator. Usually has pilot experience.

Loadmaster: He or she supervises proper tie-down procedures of cargo and calculates weight distribution of the load.

Skywriter/Sign Dragger: This person pilots skywriting aircraft releasing chemicals to create words in the sky or drags an advertising banner behind their aircraft.

Stunt Pilot: Stunt pilots perform aerobatic maneuvers usually for the entertainment of observers on the ground.

Traffic Control Pilot:Pilots the planes that fly around the cities so that reporters can monitor the traffic and report trouble spots to the TV and radio stations.

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PEOPLE WHO FIX

These positions generally don't require a college degree, but their bosses and managers are often engineers. They do require technical training received either on the job or from technical schools. A solid background in math and science will help a person advance in one of these careers.

Flight Line Mechanic: The airplane is prepared for test flight after final assembly by the flight line mechanic.

Missile Mechanic: The guided missile mechanic installs, maintains, tests, and repairs guided missile control systems.

Aircraft Mechanic: The aircraft mechanic's job is to service aircraft airframes and engines.

Electromechanic: The electromechanic maintains teletype equipment, landing lights, beacons, and stand-by generators.

Aircraft Instrument Technician: He or she installs, repairs, and tests aircraft instruments.

Avionics and Aircraft Radio Technician: This technician installs and repairs radio equipment.

Propeller Specialist: The propeller specialist repairs and checks propellers and governors.

Parachute Packer: It is this person's job to pack personnel, cargo, and aircraft parachutes involving military flights.

Electronics Maintenance Technician: This person maintains navigational aids and communication equipment, such as radar and radio beacons

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PEOPLE WHO DESIGN AND BUILD

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Aerodynamicist:

During the design process, the aerodynamicist works hard with the other design engineers to make sure that the airplane, missile, car, boat, or truck moves easily through the air or the water. He or she does this by building a model of the object to be designed and then testing it. One way to do this is to build a scale model and place it in a wind tunnel or a water tunnel. This way the engineer can observe and measure the way the air or water behaves when the object is moving. Click on one of our interviews to hear about some of the projects some NASA aerodynamicists are working on! Another way to test a model is to build it on the computer and use math to predict how the air or water will behave. This kind of aerodynamicist is called a computational fluid simulation specialist, and he or she is discussed in a later section. Most aerodynamics engineers have at least a BS in engineering.

Aircraft Conversion Specialist:Do you know someone who rebuilds cars and then resells them? An aircraft conversion specialist can do the same thing with airplanes. Maybe the remodeling is just a series of improvements in a regular private plane - better instruments or adding a satellite positioning system. Or maybe he or she will rebuild and redesign an old military or cargo plane into a fancy executive aircraft! Either way, this specialist must have a solid understanding of aviation principles and components, as well as have good sales and customer relations!

Chemist: Why do airplanes use a different fuel than cars? Why do some rockets use solid fuels, while others use liquid fuels? How do you clean up after you use toxic chemicals? A chemist could tell you the answers to these questions! He or she analyzes the molecular makeup (sometimes atom by atom!) of fuels, plastics, or ceramics for use in aviation. Why not click on our interview to learn more about it? Your average chemist has at least a BS in chemistry, and many often have additional degrees in chemistry.

Computational Fluid Dynamicist: The CFD (computational fluid dynamics) engineer is an aerodynamicist who specializes in testing a model on a computer. He or she uses math equations and formulas to model the flow of air or water in and around objects such as airplanes, missiles, boats, cars, or submarines. We have interviewed several people who have worked on some really neat problems. Click on the interviews to see what they have to say! A CFD engineer usually has a MS or a Ph.D. in math or engineering.

 Design Engineer:The Boeing 757 and 767 use the same basic design and parts, but the 767 is a much larger plane that can hold up to 120 more people! The design engineer decides how long a plane has to be to hold a certain number of people, how wide it should be, where the wings need to be, and how strong the materials need to be. He or she calculates how the insides of the airplane and wing should be built to carry the predicted loads. Have you ever seen the inside of the fuselage skin or a wing? Click on our interview to meet a design engineer who can tell you all about it! Design engineers usually have at least a BS in mechanical, civil, or aerospace engineering.

Electronics Engineer:Have you ever wondered how those buttons, dials, and gages in the cockpit work? A lot of us know WHAT they are, but we don't always know how and why they work. An electronics engineer is a person who designs the sensors and connections that tell the pilot of an aircraft that things are fine, or that there is a problem. He or she also designs the connections and devices that translate the motion of the pilot's hand on the stick, for example, into impulses that are sent to the flap mechanism. These impulses are then translated into the motion of the flap. An electronics engineer can have a BS degree or higher in electrical, mechanical, or aerospace engineering.

Equipment Engineer: Whew! It's hot in here! Lets get an equipment engineer to design an air-conditioning system to cool us off. He or she would have to make it both efficient and inexpensive, as well as size it so that it is neither too big, nor too small for our room! These engineers design heating, pressurizing, hydraulic, and/or oxygen-equipment systems for airplanes, cars, and buildings. Equipment engineers usually have BS degrees in mechanical, electrical, or systems engineering.

Mathematician: Mathematicians can work in many different areas of aviation, although it's mostly behind the scenes. They develop the math formulas that engineers use to design their work, and help the engineers develop solutions to their problems. For example, a mathematician might work with an aerodynamicist to help formulate the equations to calculate the behavior of the fluid over a body. Or they might help record and analyze the wind tunnel data. Some mathematicians work with chemists or meteorologists to help them with the mathematical equations in their work. Click on the interviews to hear two mathematicians tell you about their work. One works in CFD, the other worked as a test engineer! Mathematicians study math all through high school and college, and most of them have graduate degrees in math as well.

Metallurgist:Have you ever had a toy that looked like it was made of strong metals, but when you played with it it broke right away? Well, a metallurgist is a specialist who works with metals and metal alloys to develop and test strong compounds to be used in airplanes and cars. He or she tries to ensure that the parts will not break even after years of use. The metallurgist may work separately in a laboratory in another part of a company, or he or she may be a part of an engineering design team. Either way, he or she tries to make strong parts to last a long time. Metallurgists have a background in hard science, and may have degrees in chemistry, physics, or materials engineering.

Physicist: The physicist is another behind the scenes part of a design team. He or she may work in many different areas in aviation. A physicist might work by himself or herself, analyzing a scientific problem for aircraft or missiles such as overcoming the heat barrier or computing a trajectory, or he or she might be working closely with a design team. Some physicists work with metals and materials and might interact with chemists or metallurgists, while others are more mathematical and collaborate with aerodynamicists or failure analysis engineers. Most physicists have a solid background in math and science in high school and college, and go on to earn masters or PhD's in physics before going out to work.

Power Plant Engineer: Hey... Listen to that engine purr, or roar, as the case may be! A power plant engineer may work with piston engines, ramjets, scramjets, turbojets or turboprop engines, or rocket engines! He or she may design the whole engine system, or specialize by concentrating on a single component or part of an engine. Perhaps the engineer might get his or her hands dirty building and testing the engine, or maybe he or she will analyze the engine performance using the computer. Any way you look at it, a power plant engineer has an interesting job! We have one engineer for you to meet: Click on the interview to meet her! A power plant engineer usually has a BS degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, and many have masters or PhD's as well.

Structures Engineer: How does the pilot know that the wing of the plane won't rip off when he or she flies really fast? Or how does a trucker know if a bridge is strong enough to hold his or her truck? A structures engineer designs and tests components and materials to see that they are strong and will last a long time. He or she may do vibration tests (a whole lot of shaking!) or stress and strain tests (bending and twisting and pulling!) to make sure that a suggested design will do the job. The structures engineer is an important member of the design team. Most structures engineers have at least BS degrees in civil, aerospace, or mechanical engineering.

Weight and Balance Engineer: Most people don't realize that when they and their luggage get on the plane, a weight and balance engineer has already determined where they should sit and where their bags should be placed to make sure that the plane is properly balanced. This may not seem very important to you, but the pilot and the design team think it is. The plane may not fly well or may break if it isn't balanced right! Think about it - have you ever tried to float a boat in water, but you put all the weight on one side of the boat? It probably sank, didn't it? So, the weight and balance engineer studies the loads on a plane or a missile, and he or she works with the other design engineers to ensure that the balance points on the plane or missile coordinate with the controls and structural systems. Then the plane or missile will perform as designed! These engineers usually have BS degrees in civil, mechanical, or aerospace engineering.

This next list of jobs features positions that require less formal education, but still may rely heavily on math and science classes in high school or at technical schools:

Assembler: The assemblers are featured throughout the production line of an aircraft or missile. They put together various parts of the aircraft, or they monitor the machines that are putting it together. An assembler needs to be good with his or her hands and with tools.

Draftsman/CAD Operator:Throughout the design and production process, many, many drawings are made to detail the design and building of an aircraft. The draftsman used to sit over a large board and draw the piece of the aircraft to the engineer's specifications, but these days, most drawings are done on a computer using a CAD (computer-aided-design) program. A draftsman (male or female!) must be a good artist, with a strong sense of proportion. Experience with computers is a good plus also.

Electronics Installation Technician: This technician works with the assemblers, but specializes in electronic equipment. He or she will install the various electronic instruments in the cockpit such as air navigational aids (like radar or the MLS - microwave landing system) and communications equipment, and also do the landing and cruise lights on the outside of the plane.

Jig and Fixture Builder: The assembly of aircraft and missiles requires very specific frames and cradles, or jigs, to hold the pieces of the aircraft as they are being worked on. Most of the time, these jigs must be made at the production facility; they can't be bought from a catalog. The jig and fixture builder is in charge of creating just the right frame or jig for a part or procedure. These builders are very good mechanics, and often contribute to the design process because of their experience. While they may not be formally trained in engineering, they often have a natural intuition for design.

Model Builder: When the aerodynamicists need to run a wind tunnel test, they go to a model builder with the specifications of the aircraft and commission him or her to create a scale model. Not only does the model builder have to recreate the aircraft in detail, but he or she also needs to be able to build into the model the necessary instrumentation for the test data. A strong background in math and science helps the model builder to be a full partner in a successful wind tunnel test sequence.

Mock-up Builder: While the model builder and the aerodynamicists are working on their small-scale tests, it is often important for a design engineer to work with a full-size mock-up of the aircraft. For example, the designer of the cockpit needs to be able to see the full design to ensure that seats are positioned properly, there is head room for all sizes of pilots, and important switches and instruments are easy to see and reach. In an inflight emergency, the pilot doesn't have time to fumble about to find the right switch to throw! So the mock-up builder works with the engineers to develop full-scale models of the design. Again, these builders have a solid background in math and science, along with good mechanical skills.

Sheet-Metal Fabricator: Many parts of aircraft or missiles are cut or formed from large sheets of metal. The sheet-metal fabricator will work with the metal and the machines that manipulate it to see that the proper parts are created. Good mechanic skills and some computer experience will help someone train as a fabricator.

Technical Illustrator: Illustrations or drawings of the aircraft parts are very helpful to have in an instruction manual. This manual may be a maintenance manual for up-keep, a how-to manual for an operator like a pilot, or a record of the design process for the design engineers. The technical illustrator helps researchers, engineers, and maintenance personnel by drawing the technical figures necessary to demonstrate a point in the record. Illustrators generally have artistic backgrounds, but the ability to understand basic math and science concepts helps them translate the desires of the technical people to easy-to-follow figures for publication.

Tool Designer: Highly specialized tools are necessary for the building of aircraft and missiles. They usually can't be bought in stores or from catalogs. So, the production facility foremen must create their own tools. The tool designer may be an engineer, or he or she may be an extremely experienced mechanic who has great insight into exactly the type of tool needed for a job. Nowadays, a lot of the assembly is preformed by computerized machines, so tools must fit into the machine as well as suit the job.

Tool and Diemaker: Once the tool designer has arrived at a set of specifications, the tool and diemaker must make the requested part. This tool might be machined, or cut down from a raw piece of metal, or it may be cast by pouring hot liquid metal into a mold called a die. A die is the reverse of the tool, and it must be made very carefully so that the finished tool is exactly what was ordered.

Wind Tunnel Technicians: These technicians work in a wind tunnel facility, operating the tunnels and the data-gathering devices. Since computers are used now for retrieving data, many people are needed to watch the tests to ensure they are running smoothly and that nothing breaks down. Wind tunnels take a lot of energy to run various tests, and the small detailed models can be very expensive. If a test run is stopped because something is broken, something isn't working properly, or a model breaks down, it can be very costly. Technicians may not have engineering degrees, but many have engineering experience. Engineering students often work part-time or full-time as technicians to make money and gain experience while they are still in school.

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PEOPLE AT THE AIRPORT

These first jobs usually require a college degree:

Airport Designer: It is this person's job to plan and design airport facilities.

Air Traffic Controller: While manning the airport control tower, the air traffic controller directs all flight activities, give advise and information by radio to pilots, and monitors planes in and around the airport.

Airways Engineer: The airways engineer plans electronic navigational aids, such as radar, instrument landing systems, and airport approach lighting.

Fixed Base Operator: This is a retail firm that manages services (aircraft refueling, airframe, engine, and/or instrument repair, flight training, ground school, rentals and charter flights) and sells general aviation products at an airport. The requirements to become an FBO are not clearly defined. A pilot's license is not essential but would be useful as would training in business administration.

Flight Dispatcher: The flight dispatcher works the with the pilot planning flight requirements (fuel consumption, altitudes, traffic flow, weather, winds aloft) authorizes take-offs or cancels flights, and advises pilots in the air on weather or route changes. They frequently work under pressure in a noisy, busy atmosphere surrounded by other airport workers, teletype machines, telephones, and intercom systems. They use computers, calculators, weather charts, and loading reports, sometimes also doing the job of a meteorologist or schedule coordinator. Experience as a flight dispatcher could lead to promotions to air traffic controller or airport manager. The job requires a college degree with a major in air transportation or meteorology.

Meteorologist: He or she analyzes weather data and makes weather reports to the pilot and dispatcher and then works with the flight dispatcher preparing flight plans. A college degree with a major in meteorology is required for the job.

Barbara Snyder - Air Force Meteorologist

These positions generally don't require a college degree:

Air Cargo Agent: It is this person's job to supervise the cargo terminal, record air freight shipments, and arrange for deliveries. A high school graduate with experience in shipping is preferred for the job. Physical strength is required.

Air Cargo Forwarder: It is his/her job to deliver airfreight to and from airlines.

Airline Station Manager: The station manager is in charge of all ground and flight operations for his/her airline. These responsibilities could include aircraft handling, passenger services, air cargo operations, ticket sales, making public announcements, checking baggage, or operating computer terminals depending upon the size of the airline or airport. This position requires a high school diploma.

Ground Radio Operator: This person operates airline station radio equipment.

Operations Agent: The operations agent oversees the loading and unloading of the airplane and checks the distribution of the aircraft load and fuel.

Baggage/ Air Cargo Handler: He or she loads and unloads cargo and baggage, drives baggage tractors, and operates conveyors, forklifts, and other air freight handling equipment. A high school diploma is normally required and the minimum age is usually 18 to 20 depending upon the airline.

Security: The security person is responsible for the safety of all people in and around the airport. He or she is authorized to x-ray carry-ons, search baggage, enforce airport regulations, and patrol the grounds.

Food Service: Food service employees prepare food for airline travelers and are also responsible for cleanup of dishes and utensils. High school graduation is desired and health certificates are required.

Reservations Clerk: This clerk handles telephone inquiries about flight schedules and fares and makes flight reservations for airline passengers. They usually work in large central offices with access to telephones and computer terminals. Applicants must have graduated from high school and be at least 18 years of age. Airlines prefer those with training in airline operations or experience in public telephone contact work.

Ticket Agent: The ticket agent sells tickets, weighs and tags baggage, and answers questions on schedules and fares. The minimum age varies from 18 to 20 depending upon the airline. Graduation from high school is a minimum requirement, however, two years of college is preferred.

Travel Agent: The travel agent promotes airline travel, calls on customers, and arranges charter flights.

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How helicopters fly and are controlled

Helicopters truly are amazing aircraft, and how helicopters fly is what makes them such versatile machines, being perfectly suited to roles ranging from military use to fire fighting and search and rescue.
Helicopters have been around for centuries - well, the principle anyway - but it was Russian aircraft pioneer Igor Sikorsky who designed, built and in 1939 flew the first fully controllable single rotor / tail rotor helicopter - the fundamental concept that would shape all future helicopters.

                     Why helicopters are so versatile

A normal airplane can fly forward, up, down, left and right. A helicopter can do all this plus has the ability to fly backwards, rotate 360 degrees on the spot and hover ie stay airborne with no directional movement at all.
Helicopters may be limited in their speed, but the incredible maneuverability mentioned above is what makes them so useful in so many situations.

Above, the directions a helicopter can move in and the associated name of control

                                 Controlling a helicopter

Helicopters require a completely different method of control than airplanes and are much harder to master. Flying a helicopter requires constant concentration by the pilot, and a near-continuous flow of control corrections.
A conventional helicopter has its main rotor above the fuselage which consists of 2 or more rotor blades extending out from a central rotor head, or hub, assembly.
The primary component is the swash plate, located at the base of the rotor head. This swash plate consists of one non-revolving disc and one revolving disc mounted directly on top. The swash plate is connected to the cockpit control sticks and can be made to tilt in any direction, according to the cyclic stick movement made by the pilot, or moved up and down according to the collective lever movement.
But first, to explain how the main rotor blades are moved by the pilot to control the movement of the helicopter, we need to understand pitch...

                                                     The basics of pitch

Each rotor blade has an airfoil profile similar to that of an airplane wing, and as the blades rotate through the air they generate lift in exactly the same way as an airplane wing does [read about that here]. The amount of lift generated is determined by the pitch angle (and speed) of each rotor blade as it moves through the air. Pitch angle is known as the Angle of Attack when the rotors are in motion, as shown below:
This pitch angle of the blades is controlled in two ways - collective and cyclic....

                                            Collective control

The collective control is made by moving a lever that rises up from the cockpit floor to the left of the pilot's seat, which in turn raises or lowers the swash plate on the main rotor shaft, without tilting it.
This lever only moves up and down and corresponds directly to the desired movement of the helicopter; lifting the lever will result in the helicopter rising while lowering it will cause the helicopter to sink. At the end of the collective lever is the throttle control, explained further down the page.
As the swash plate rises or falls, so it changes the pitch of all rotor blades at the same time and to the same degree. Because all blades are changing pitch together, or 'collectively', the change in lift remains constant throughout every full rotation of the blades. Therefore, there is no tendency for the helicopter to move in any direction other than straight up or down.
The illustrations below show the effect of raising the collective control on the swash plate and rotor blades. The connecting rods run from the swash plate to the leading edge of the rotor blades; as the plate rises or falls, so all blades are tilted exactly the same way and amount.
Of course, real rotor head systems are far more complicated than this picture shows, but the basics are the same.

                                                            Cyclic control

The cyclic control is made by moving the control stick that rises up from the cockpit floor between the pilot's knees, and can be moved in all directions other than up and down.
Like the collective control, these cyclic stick movements correspond to the directional movement of the helicopter; moving the cyclic stick forward makes the helicopter fly forwards while bringing the stick back slows the helicopter and even makes it fly backwards. Moving the stick to the left or right makes the helicopter roll and turn in these directions.
The cyclic control works by tilting the swash plate and increasing the pitch angle of a rotor blade at a given point in the rotation, while decreasing the angle when the blade has spun through 180 degrees.
As the pitch angle changes, so the lift generated by each blade changes and as a result the helicopter becomes 'unbalanced' and so tips towards whichever side is experiencing the lesser amount of lift.
The illustrations below show the effect of cyclic control on the swash plate and rotor blades. As the swash plate is tilted, the opposing rods move in opposite directions. The position of the rods - and hence the pitch of the individual blades - is different at any given point of rotation, thus generating different amounts of lift around the rotor disc.
To understand cyclic control another way is to picture the rotor disc, which is the imaginary circle above the helicopter created by the spinning blades, and to imagine a plate sat flat on top of the cyclic stick. As the stick is leaned over in any direction, so the angle of the plate changes very slightly. This change of angle corresponds directly to what is happening to the rotor disc at the same time ie the side of the plate that is higher represents the side of the rotor disc generating more lift.

                                                Rotational (yaw) control

At the very rear of the helicopter's tail boom is the tail rotor - a vertically mounted blade very similar to a conventional airplane propeller. This tail rotor is used to control the yaw, or rotation, of the helicopter (ie which way the nose is pointing) and to explain this we first need to understand torque.
Torque is a natural force that causes rotational movement, and in a helicopter it is caused by the spinning main rotor blades; when the blades are spinning then the natural reaction to that is for the fuselage of the helicopter to start spinning in the opposite direction to the rotors. If this torque isn't controlled, the helicopter would just spin round hopelessly!
So to beat the reaction of the torque, the tail rotor is used and is connected by rods and gears to the main rotor so that it turns whenever the main rotor is spinning.
As the tail rotor spins it generates thrust in exactly the same way as an airplane propeller does. This sideways thrust prevents the helicopter fuselage from trying to spin against the main rotor, and the pitch angle of the tail rotor blades can be changed by the pilot to control the amount of thrust produced.
Increasing the pitch angle of the tail rotor blades will increase the thrust, which in turn will push the helicopter round in the same direction as the main rotor blades. Decreasing the pitch angle decreases the amount of thrust and so the natural torque takes over, letting the helicopter rotate in the opposite direction to the main rotors.
The pilot controls the pitch angle of the tail rotor blades by two pedals at his feet, in exactly the same way as the rudder movement is controlled in an airplane.
NOTAR is an alternative method of yaw control on some helicopters - instead of a tail rotor to generate thrust, compressed air is blown out of the tail boom through moveable slots. These slots are controlled by the pilot's pedals in the same way as a tail rotor is. To generate more thrust, the slots are opened to let out more air, and vice versa.
NOTAR helicopters respond to yaw control in exactly the same way as tail rotor models and have a big safety advantage - tail rotors can be very hazardous while operating on or close to the ground and in flight a failing tail rotor will almost always result in a crash.

                                                            Throttle control

The throttle control is a 'twist-grip' on the end of the collective lever and is linked directly to the movement of the lever so that engine RPM is always correct at any given collective setting. Because the cyclic and collective pitch control determines the movement of the helicopter, the engine RPM does not need to be adjusted like an airplane engine does. So during normal flying, constant engine speed (RPM) is maintained and the pilot only needs to 'fine tune' the throttle settings when necessary.
There is, however, a direct correlation between engine power and yaw control in a helicopter - faster spinning main rotor blades generate more torque, so greater pitch is needed in the tail rotor blades to generate more thrust.

It's worth noting that each separate control of a helicopter is easy to understand and operate; the difficulty comes in using all controls together, where the co-ordination has to be perfect! Moving one control drastically effects the other controls, and so they too have to be moved to compensate.
This continuous correction of all controls together is what makes flying a helicopter so intense. Indeed, as a helicopter pilot once said... "You don't fly a helicopter, you just stop it from crashing"!

Helicopter Reading

A useful book that you might find interesting is The Principles of Helicopter Flight. Although aimed at pilots wanting to learn to fly helicopters, it covers all the aspects of helicopter flight.

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WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF FLYING MACHINES

How airplanes fly

- the basic principles of flight

The basic principles of why and how airplanes fly apply to all airplanes, from the Wright Brothers' first machine to a modern Stealth Bomber, and it's actually not difficult to understand how airplanes get, and stay, airborne.

Aerodynamic forces

Essentially there are 4 aerodynamic forces that act on an airplane in flight; these are lift, drag, thrust and gravity (or weight).
In simple terms, drag is the resistance of air (the backward force), thrust is the power of the airplane's engine (the forward force), lift is the upward force and gravity is the downward force. So for airplanes to fly, the thrust must be greater than the drag and the lift must be greater than the gravity (so as you can see, drag opposes thrust and lift opposes gravity).
This is certainly the case when an airplane takes off or climbs. However, when it is in straight and level flight the opposing forces of lift and gravity are balanced. During a descent, gravity exceeds lift and to slow an airplane drag has to overcome thrust.
The picture below shows how these 4 forces act on an airplane in flight:

The thrust is generated by the airplane's engine (propeller or jet), gravity is a natural force acting upon the airplane and drag comes from friction as the plane moves through air molecules. Drag is also a reaction to lift, and this lift must be generated by the airplane in flight. This is done by the wing of the airplane...

How wings generate lift

The generation of lift is a widely discussed and sometimes disputed theory, but there are some key factors that nobody argues. A cross section of a typical airplane wing will show the top surface to be more curved than the bottom surface. This shaped profile is called an 'airfoil' (or 'aerofoil').
During flight air naturally flows over and beneath the wing. Any given 'parcel' of air gets split in two as it hits the leading edge of the wing, and both halves of that parcel actually meet up again at the same moment as they come off the trailing edge of the wing. So because the air moving over the top of the wing has more distance to cover (because of the curvature it is forced to follow) in the same amount of time as the air passing below the wing, it has to move faster.
If you're having trouble following that, look at the picture below showing a parcel of air hitting a wing. Arrows A and B is air getting split at the same moment, and meeting up again at the same moment.
Faster moving air is less dense than slower moving air, so this speed difference results in a lower air pressure on top of the wing, and a higher air pressure below the wing. The result of this pressure gradient is that the wing, and hence the plane, is pushed upwards by the higher pressure.
One of the argued theories of lift generation is that some of the air that passes beneath the wing is deflected downwards. This causes an opposite upward force in accordance with Newton's 3rd Law of Action & Reaction that acts upon the underside of the wing, effectively pushing it upwards. It's widely agreed that this upward force also occurs because the air that comes over the top surface of the wing moves downwards as it flows off the trailing edge, hence forcing the upwards reaction.

Above, the movement of air over an airfoil

If you want to generate some lift yourself, try holding a sheet of paper in front of your face and blowing hard over its top surface. Your breath moves the air molecules above the sheet, thus reducing the pressure while the pressure below the sheet remains the same, and so becomes relatively higher pushing the paper upwards...

 

The faster a wing moves through the air, so the actions are exaggerated and more lift is generated.

However, a direct reaction to lift is drag and this too increases with airspeed. So airfoils need to be designed in a way that maximizes lift but minimizes drag, in order to be efficient.
A crucial factor of lift generation is the Angle of Attack - this is the angle at which the wing sits in relation to the horizontal airflow over it. As the angle of attack increases, so more lift is generated - but only up to a point until the smooth airflow over the wing is broken up and so the generation of lift cannot be sustained. When this happens, the sudden loss of lift will result in the airplane entering into a stall, where the weight of the airplane cannot be supported any longer.

Airplane control surfaces

For an airplane to be controllable, control surfaces are necessary. The 4 main surfaces are ailerons, elevator, rudder and flaps as shown below:
To understand how each works upon the airplane, imagine 3 lines (axis - the blue dashed lines in the picture above) running through the plane. One runs through the center of the fuselage from nose to tail (longitudinal axis), one runs from side to side (lateral axis) and the other runs vertically (vertical axis). All 3 axis pass through the Center of Gravity (CG), the airplane's crucial point of balance.
When the airplane is in forward flight, it will rotate around each axis when movement to any control surface is made by the pilot. The table below shows the appropriate actions...

Action:	Axis:	Controlled by:
Roll	Longitudinal	Ailerons
Pitch	Lateral	Elevators
Yaw	Vertical	Rudder

The following sections explain how each control surface effects the airplane...

Ailerons

Located on the trailing edge (rear) of the wing, the ailerons control the airplane's roll about its longitudinal axis. Each aileron moves at the same time but in opposite directions ie when the left aileron moves up, the right aileron moves down and vice versa.
This movement causes a slight decrease in lift on the wingtip with the upward moving aileron, while the opposite wingtip experiences a slight increase in lift. Because of this subtle change in lift, the airplane is forced to roll in the appropriate direction ie when the pilot moves the stick left, the left aileron will rise and the airplane will roll left in response to the change in lift on each wing.
The ailerons are controlled by a left/right movement of the control stick, or 'yoke'.

Rudder

The rudder is located on the back edge of the vertical stabilizer, or fin, and is controlled by 2 pedals at the pilot's feet. When the pilot pushes the left pedal, the rudder moves to the left. The air flowing over the fin now pushes harder against the left side of the rudder, forcing the nose of the airplane to yaw round to the left.

Elevators

The elevators are located on the rear half of the tailplane, or horizontal stabilizer. Like the ailerons, they cause a subtle change in lift when movement is applied which raises or lowers the tail surface accordingly. In addition, air hitting deflected elevators does so in the same way as it hits the rudder ie with exaggerated effect that forces the airplane to tilt upwards or downwards.
Moving the elevator up (pulling back on the yoke) will cause the airplane to pitch its nose up and climb, while moving them down (pushing forward on the yoke) will cause the airplane to pitch the nose down and dive. Elevators are linked directly to each other, so work in unison unlike ailerons.

Flaps

Flaps are located on the trailing edge of each wing, between the fuselage and the ailerons, and extend outward and downward from the wing when put into use.
The purpose of the flaps is to generate more lift at slower airspeed, which enables the airplane to fly at a greatly reduced speed with a lower risk of stalling. When extended further flaps also generate more drag which slows the airplane down much faster than just reducing throttle power.
Although the risk of stalling is always present, an airplane has to be flying very slowly to stall when flaps are in use at, for example, 10 degrees deflection.

So all these factors are why and how airplanes fly. Radio control model airplanes can of course be more simple - for example, just have rudder and elevator control or perhaps just rudder and motor control. But the same fundamental principles always apply to all airplanes, regardless of size, shape and design.

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