Aerospace
engineers may develop new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems,
and spacecraft. They often specialize in areas such as aerodynamic fluid flow;
structural design; guidance, navigation, and control; instrumentation and
communication; robotics; and propulsion and combustion.
Aerospace
engineers can specialize in designing different types of aerospace products,
such as commercial and military airplanes and helicopters; remotely piloted
aircraft and rotorcraft; spacecraft, including launch vehicles and satellites;
and military missiles and rockets.
Aerospace
engineers often become experts in one or more related fields: aerodynamics,
thermodynamics, materials, celestial mechanics, flight mechanics, propulsion,
acoustics, and guidance and control systems.
Aeronautical
engineers work with aircraft. They are involved primarily in designing aircraft
and propulsion systems and in studying the aerodynamic performance of aircraft
and construction materials. They work with the theory, technology, and practice
of flight within the Earth's atmosphere.
Typical
skills and experiences include:
Assessing
proposals for projects to determine if they are technically and financially
feasible
Determining
if proposed projects will result in safe operations that meet the defined goals
Evaluating
designs to see that the products meet engineering principles, customer
requirements, and environmental regulations
Developing
acceptance criteria for design methods, quality standards, sustainment after
delivery, and completion dates
Ensuring
that projects meet quality standards
Inspecting
malfunctioning or damaged products to identify sources of problems and possible
solutions