Author Topic: AE industry  (Read 5883 times)

Offline brahmanknight

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AE industry
« on: 05/31/2007 04:57 pm »
brahmanknight - 28/5/2007 3:18 PM

I am currently the stock crew chief of a supermarket in Tampa, FL. I am on my way back to college at University of Central Florida in Orlando to major in either Aerospace Engineering, Finance, Economics, or Journalism. I grew up in south Florida, wishing to be on every single Shuttle launch that i saw from my back yard.

Good for you, and good luck. Others may disagree with MHO, but if I had to do things all over again, I'd probably do two undergraduate majors (or major and big minor) in EE & aerospace eng., or EE & computer/network engineering. Then try to get work at a major NASA contractor for a few years, and if lucky after a couple years start evening/night classes for some type of mgmt degree or studies dealing with AeroEng/flight control networking (or both).

I got a BS in CompSci in the mid-70's which turned out to be almost useless when I got a job designing/servicing/repairing micro systems - I learned more about microprocessors, busses, memory, and signalling in the first 6 months on the job than I ever did in School. (The only univ-level classes I could point to that helped were logic design and a couple of basic EE courses.)

I have a question for everyone....are there enough jobs in the industry to be me taking Aerospace Engineering as a major?  

The only reason that I am considering finance is that I wonder if there are enough jobs in the industry.  I see two majors....Boeing and Lockheed.  I see a few minor players, and I see an uncertain future for NASA.  The only wild card is the private spaceflight industry.  Will it take off or not?  Is it worth 5 years of schooling to bet on it?  Aerospace has been in my heart since I was in elementary school.  I really understand finance and economics, and can always find a job in those fields, but money is not my driving force.  What do you guys think?

Offline Jim

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #1 on: 05/31/2007 05:10 pm »
Get a mechanical degree, it is applicable to many fields

Offline Namechange User

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #2 on: 05/31/2007 05:12 pm »
Aerospace swings up and down but yes, there are enough jobs for everyone.  Boeing and LockMart are big but not the only ones by any way.  If this is what is in your heart, as you say, then I think you should pursue it.  There are many people that look back a few years later and say "if I had only chased my dream..."

My personal opinion is that the next 20 years are going to much more exciting than the last.  I'm looking forward to being a part of it.
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Offline Antares

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #3 on: 05/31/2007 05:31 pm »
If you're good, you won't have to worry.  If you're average or even merely above average, it's a dice roll.  However, you can be good and still get run out by politics.  Holding your tongue on non-technical differences and staying positive helps.  If you love aerospace, get an AE degree.  If you love engineering, get an ME or EE degree.  If you love driving past a sign that says "Kennedy Space Center" every day, it mitigates the boring or tedious times.
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Offline JonSBerndt

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #4 on: 05/31/2007 05:37 pm »
Quote
OV-106 - 31/5/2007  12:12 PM

Aerospace swings up and down but yes, there are enough jobs for everyone.  Boeing and LockMart are big but not the only ones by any way.  If this is what is in your heart, as you say, then I think you should pursue it.  There are many people that look back a few years later and say "if I had only chased my dream..."

My personal opinion is that the next 20 years are going to much more exciting than the last.  I'm looking forward to being a part of it.

Seconded, emphatically.

Jon

Offline Marcus

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #5 on: 05/31/2007 07:04 pm »
Aeros can do anything ME's can do and more. If you can't find a job building rocketships, you can always optimize fan blades on an air conditioner, design cars, or something.
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Offline Namechange User

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #6 on: 05/31/2007 07:07 pm »
True enough.  It's all really just the title a piece of paper (i.e. the diploma).  Aero Engr is an off-shoot of mechanical and in many schools Aero is under the Mech Engr department.  I went to Purdue though and is one of the few schools I know of with an independant department.  Anyways, it's all based on the same physics with just slightly different applications.
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Offline NotGncDude

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #7 on: 05/31/2007 07:08 pm »
A few comments:

- Get a MechE degree if you like building and design or flexibility, or EE if you like computers and EE stuff. You can still go into AE jobs but you have the flexibilities. I agree with Jim on this. That's what I'd do if I could go back anyway.
- There is plenty of work in AE (at least in defense). My company can't find enough people to hire. In fact, anybody looking for GN&C jobs?
- Not all the work is the most fun, but if you're good you get to pick.
- I agree, the next 20 years are looking good.

Offline NotGncDude

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #8 on: 05/31/2007 07:14 pm »
WRT ME vs. Aero, it's the same physics and more or less the same breadth of knowledge, but the focus of the departments is different. I found that in my school in AE you find yourself doing a lot of paper design and systems engineering, with some hands on stuff, while on ME my friends were designing and building stuff constantly. I think that both approaches are fine, it depends on your preference. I would have preferred ME.

Offline Jim

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #9 on: 05/31/2007 07:32 pm »
Quote
Marcus - 31/5/2007  3:04 PM

Aeros can do anything ME's can do and more. If you can't find a job building rocketships, you can always optimize fan blades on an air conditioner, design cars, or something.

Actually, it is the opposite.  AE is a specialist and ME is a generalist

Offline kevwalsh

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #10 on: 05/31/2007 07:37 pm »
I know people who had great careers in Finance on the back of an engineering degree - lots of finance companies like the numerate degrees a lot.  You can always try a finance postgrad if you want to develop that even further down the line.  You're not ruling yourself out of finance by taking engineering, and you are giving yourself a shot of a great career in engineering as well.

Best of luck to you!


Offline simonbp

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #11 on: 06/01/2007 04:50 am »
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GncDude - 31/5/2007  2:14 PM

WRT ME vs. Aero, it's the same physics and more or less the same breadth of knowledge, but the focus of the departments is different.

Exactly, so get a Physics degree, and actually know what you're talking about... :)

Simon ;)

Offline brahmanknight

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #12 on: 06/01/2007 05:29 pm »
Thanks for the input, guys!  I really appreciate it a lot.  Some of these questions would have been answered at my internship at pratt and whitney I earned in 1999, but they moved most of their operations before I could take it.  Thanks again!

Offline NotGncDude

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #13 on: 06/01/2007 06:02 pm »
Quote
simonbp - 1/6/2007  12:50 AM

Quote
GncDude - 31/5/2007  2:14 PM

WRT ME vs. Aero, it's the same physics and more or less the same breadth of knowledge, but the focus of the departments is different.

Exactly, so get a Physics degree, and actually know what you're talking about... :)

Simon ;)

LOL. Hey I love Physics man, but I love making things even more! ;)

Offline jjnodice

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Re: AE industry
« Reply #14 on: 06/13/2007 10:42 am »
Though I am an AE, there is always a need for good software engineers on programs.  Flight software on these vehicles always has to be tested before flight (or should be, anyway).  There are also hardware-in-the-loop activities that would benefit from your CS background.  An AE with a CS background would be a pretty strong combination.  :)

Offline whitewatcher

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RE: AE industry
« Reply #15 on: 06/13/2007 11:05 am »
If you don't find a job in the US, then come to germany. We'll have an unsatisfied need for (all kind of) engineers for the next 20 years.

There's a strong private aerospace business infrastructure (=not depending on political decisions) here in Europe: EADS (Airbus, Eurocopter, Astrium, Arianespace, Defence, MilTransport, SpaceTransportation), Alcatel-Alenia, Carlo-Gavazzi-Space and many more.

German cars are often designed by AE people, too. I have friends working for Daimler, Audi and VW.

Enjoy a country where there are more McDonalds restaurants than gun stores, where every square meter has at least 2000 years of history and  where elections are still free of "anomalies". Come to Germany! We are waiting for your tax bucks!
"One Percent for Space"

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