These are skilled individuals who deal in design flying craft, at the same time also designing vehicles that can be used appropriately in outer space. In fact one of the most recent and fast growing fields of this industry is aiming in this direction. With every passing day as mankind's need for air transportation and undying desire for exploring outer space lurks around and continues to grow at the same time, masses in general depend on these brilliant guys, the aerospace engineers to design and thereon develop advanced technologies producing novel spacecrafts and air crafts to make dreams come true.
The basic job profile of an aerospace engineer is as follows,
• These engineers are responsible for designing, developing and testing the missiles, spacecraft, commercial aircraft, military jets, helicopters, and all other elements that can be grouped under the broader categories of aircraft or space craft.
• Aerospace engineers also deal in the development and assessment of new and more superior technologies for aviation and the defense systems.
Aerospace engineering in general can be divided into two broader categories that exist as two distinct disciplines within the field. Those are astronautical engineering and aeronautical engineering. Astronautical engineers deal with spacecraft alone while aeronautical engineers deal with aircraft only.
Requirements
Academic
For an entry level position an aerospace engineer will need to have a Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering. This degree will consist of basic engineering courses along with advanced mathematics and foundational aerospace engineering. Though the Bachelor's Degree is more than enough for an interested individual to enter the field most of the aerospace engineers tend to go for further specializations by earning Specialty Certificates, Graduate Degree in Specialized Discipline, etc, all within the larger field of aerospace engineering.
Some of the specialties are guidance systems, propulsion, navigation systems, instrumentation and communication, structural designing, thermodynamics, aerodynamics, and celestial mechanics as well.
Skill Sets
• Aptitude in Mathematics and Science at a preliminary level
• Well versed in calculus, trigonometry, and lab sciences.
• Knowledge of computer languages including Java, Perl, HTML, C++, and Visual Basic
• It is not crucial, but an idea of some foreign language can be very helpful to a aerospace engineer
Training
Aerospace engineers who come in to provide services to the public are in the first place required to get hold of an authentic license to perform in the state in which the prospective engineers have it in mind to work.
The licensing process starts with the passing of the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam which is held by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). One can take this test after graduation.
The second licensing exam involves the Principles and Practice of Engineering and can be taken when individuals have already gained four years of work experience in the engineering field.
Prior experience
Prior work experience as an Aerospace Engineer can help you perform better on a larger scale like in government jobs and working with defense systems.
Career Prospects
In the year 2006, a study revealed that around 90,000 aerospace engineers were employed in the US alone. In general the career opportunities and employment scopes for aerospace engineers are probable to boost by 10% by the year 2016. That is just under the standard rate of growth anticipated across all industries. Speaking of new aerospace engineering job openings, those are expected to surface largely in relation to the advance in commercial aircraft technology and functioning on military and security levels and defense projects.
Salaries
The entry-level aerospace engineers get a salary that widely varies depending on the education and training they have acquired and the certifications that they have earned. In this context the geographical location is also an important factor. The average base salary ranges are as follows:
• Aerospace Engineer I gets $47,943 to $66,443
• Entry-level aerospace engineers making between $52,435 and $62,118
Aerospace Engineering is one of the most interesting and innovative branches of applied physics. The manufacturing positions consist of airplane design, power gliders, cars, and even underwater devices. The extent of objects studied in an aerospace engineering program can be functional to an extensive variety of devices and surroundings.
