1. So you want to be an aerospace engineer..

2. What do aerospace engineers do? We design, build, or analyze systems and components. –Aircraft, helicopters, engines, satellites, rockets, unmanned vehicles, etc. We work in related areas. –Automotive, power generation, bio-engineering, wind energy, environmental engineering, etc. We serve mankind by making improvements to the state of the art in aerospace vehicles –Cheaper, quieter, faster, lighter, environmentally friendly applications. Aerospace engineers are constantly searching for ways to do things better, cheaper, more efficiently, and with less impact on the environment.

3. We make improvements to all the Parts of an Airplane Low drag airfoils Quieter, fuel-efficient propellers or jet engines Composites and advanced aluminum alloy materials that are strong and light Fly by wire controls that reduce pilot’s work load, and lead to a safe and enjoyable flight.

4. We make improvements to rockets and space vehicles High energy, high density fuels Computers and software for guidance and control of rockets Optimum trajectories from earth to Mars and other places, that take the least amount of energy or time.

5. We make improvements to engines Fans that produce a lot of thrust, but require less power Compressors that increase the pressure with the least amount of power expenditure Turbines that extract the maximum amount of energy from the hot gases Nozzles that produce thrust, without excessive noise Combustors that burn fuel efficiently, without pollution such as Carbon Monoxide or Nitrous Oxide

6. Where do aerospace engineers work? Aircraft manufacturers (Lockheed, Boeing, Airbus, Cessna, Gulfstream, and others) Engine Manufacturers (GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, Turbomeca,..) Helicopter Manufacturers (Bell, Boeing, Sikorsky, Robinson..) NASA Research Centers (Langley, Ames, Glenn, Johnson) Power Systems (GE, Pratt & Whitney, Regional Power Companies) Airlines Industries (Delta, United, American,..) Government Agencies and Labs (Air Force Labs, Navy labs, DARPA, Department of Energy) Hundreds of small businesses and suppliers that cater to the needs of the aerospace industries and the government.

7. Support/Service Economy Time Earth Launch Com-satsResearchExplorationMilitaryGPSSensing MaintenanceSpace StationRoboticsRepairFuel Orbit transfer vehiclesGEO Station Lunar Resources Lunar Launcher Lunar Mining Lunar Power Lunar Manufacturing Space Habitats Work on Space Based Economy Self-sustaining Economy

8. Attributes of a Successful Aerospace Engineer Do you enjoy math and science? Do you have an inquisitive and searching mind? Are you interested in knowing what makes things work? Do you like to solve problems and puzzles? Do you like to create things? Do you enjoy working with computers? Do you like to build things?