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.
