Aerospace Engineer 1

[ddawgnd]

Hello, I joined am currently awaiting my ship date to leave for the Air Force on March 18 and I am 18 years old. I enlisted for 6 years active as an Aerospace Propulsion Apprentice.

I've been thinking about an Aerospace Engineering career when I get out but I was wondering if the 8 years i spend total in the Air Force will prepare me for a job in this field. I've been doing some reading and a lot of the online applications for this job say that it does not require a degree of any kind ( it doesn't say that it does either).

What I have read as far as qualifications go, is that an A&P certification would greatly improve my chances. Is there anything else you would recommend I do?

 

[mikek10]

Without being facetious, you have already enlisted and 6 years from now is a long time... Much can happen...

Enjoy your service and learn a lot - look forward to hearing from you in several years!

 

[IRstuff]

Not sure what you've been reading, but most aerospace engineering jobs require a BS degree.

Don't know what an A&P cert is.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[MadMango]

Enjoy your 6yrs, and don't waste those 6yrs. That means taking advantage of every educational benefit you can possibly make use of.

Aerospace Propulsion Apprentice
After the fundamental techniques and principles are taught, you will be assigned to your permanent base where you will work in one of the following areas: Perform flight line maintenance on engines installed in the aircraft; perform in-shop engine repair on engines removed from the aircraft; operationally test engines in a test cell after repair. Your job will be to keep these engines in first-rate operational condition. You will troubleshoot (diagnose problems) in engine systems such as the fuel system, oil system, electrical system, and the engine airflow system. You will remove defective components and install serviceable ones. You may perform a test run of the repaired engine installed in either the aircraft or the test cell. To diagnose engine problems and perform engine checks, you will operate various types of highly sophisticated engine test equipment. This test equipment includes engine start, engine control, engine bearing vacuum tester, ignition test, and the vibration analyzer.

Sounds like you will be a "mechanic", which will always be needed, but I fear that is far removed from being an Engineer in the aerospace industry. Do you want to work on engines on an asphalt runway in the middle of August, or in an unheated metal shed in the middle of December after you get out of the Air Force? Or do you want to be developing or improving the designs of airframe, engines and entire systems after you get a BS?

To answer your direct question, the mechanical and diagnostic techniques and skills you will be trained in while enlisted in the Air Force will be a huge benefit over those that do not have that formal training.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[berkshire]

IRstuff (Aerospace)
An A&P cert, Is an Airframe and Power plant Certificate

This is the licence awarded by the FAA., to qualified mechanics.

B.E.

 

[IRstuff]

OK, thanks..

Only of marginal use, I think, for an engineering job.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[rb1957]

ddawgnd, you've on the direct path to be an airplane mechanic, which is not something to be scorned or snubbed (not that i think you have been). the academic requirements for such are much lower than for an engineer, but the practical experience gained will be valuable if you switch careers (mechanic does not equal engineer).

in the bad old days there used to be apprenticeships, where people would gain practical experience, and the best were encouraged to move into engineering.

now its different, ... not necessarily better !

good luck with your posting and make the most of your opportunities !

 

[duck0601]

ddawgnd

When you get to your first base, make sure you visit the Education Office. They should be able to advise you on your path to an engineering (or other) degree from there. IMO, the hands on experience will be helpful, things won't be just pictures in books. As a propulsion mechanic, you will be repairing engines, performing routine maintainence, TCTOs, FOD walks, and assisting other Specialists and Crew Chiefs. This will help you in that you can bitch about how the moronic engineeers designed the system to make it hard for you. When you get to the Engineering classes, you will learn why they did it. There will also be additional duties, and training, for general items peculiar to the military. There is more, but I have not finished my first cup of coffee.

Thank you for enlisting, and have fun. If you get to go to other countries (not all do, nor do all go to the War zones) get out, explore and meet the people. You are our best diplomat. Your time will be what you make of it.

Chris, MSgt, US Air Force (Retired)

 

[thruthefence]

IR stuff, At the risk of being 'snippy', I believe the latest trend is to include maintenance input at very early stages of aircraft design, to enhance the maintainability, thus profitability, of the design. I personally think every engineer should put in a day on the Hangar floor, or better yet the flightline ( maybe someplace link Minot, ND ? ) before being 'allowed' to practice as an aircraft engineer. This is from a 38 year A&P/IA/DAR/DME who also graduated BSME (way back in the Pleistocene) did a stint in the army, & couldn't find a job upon getting out.

 

[IRstuff]

Laudable goals to be sure, but the reality of military contracts has always been unbidding. And guess what they cut first?

Secondly, while design for maintainability and manufacturability are required in the design process, they are a very small portion of the overall design process, given that the bulk of the other system specifications tend to be conflicting, e.g., weight vs. performance, and the design engineer spend the bulk of their time addressing those issues.

So, given the choice between two fresh BSMEs, one with 6 yr of design experience vs. one with none, but 6 yrs of maintenance exp, the choice is usually toward the former.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[40818]

This seems to be developing towards the benefits of the experience gained on the shop floor.
My opinion is that you will gain good experience on the shop floor that you will give you an insight that can never be taught in the classroom. BUT, most of what you do on the floor will not translate directly to becoming an engineer. You will have to keep up the studying and get the degrees and such. But when you get there, you will bring a different perspective which fresh grads never will have.
That is if you decide to move to engineering. You may be perfectly happy being a mech.
Good luck.

 

[Heckler]

Thruthefence - very well stated. The Military training ddawgnd will get is top notch. He will be head and shoulders above his peers after he gets his degree. I work with a FAA DER that did the very same thing that ddawgnd wants to do. He got his degree while working as a A&P Tech. The military even paid for his DER Cert since he was involved with battle damage repair for the Stealth Fighter at the depot. Don't forget ddawgnd make the most out of your service.

I'm not sure what was worse the flight line at RAF Alconbury or Edwards AFB....both had extreme weather conditions....much happier in my cozy cubicle.

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

This post contains no political overtones or undertones for that matter and in no way represents the poster's political agenda.

 

[MechanicalChef]

In this day and age, if you're interested in true engineering, start working on BS as soon as you can. Concurrent to your military career if possible. If you're interested in engineering propulsion, your work will no doubt help you find a job, but to be a true engineer, you'll need a bachelors degree.

 

[scotty7]

Just in passing on the maintenance track, whilt modern aircraft are designed for maintenance, there are a lot of OLD aircraft still flying that were designed before "design for maintenance" was a policy. From personal experience, working on a 1950's military aircraft, it was most definitely not designed for maintenance. I later worked in a 70's designed aircraft, and the difference in maintainability was remarkable.

 

[jmcaero]

All things being equal, if I had resumes of two newly graduated engineers and one had a few years under his/her belt as an A&P, that candidate would be my first choice to interview.