Flying start to your career

PATHFINDER

Globalisation has opened an array of career choices. One such field which is fast gaining popularity amongst the youth today is Aeronautical Engineering. It is one of the most challenging fields of engineering with a wide scope for growth. This field deals with the development of new technology in the field of aviation, space exploration and defence systems. It is one of the two main branches of Aerospace Engineering, the other one being Astronautical Engineering. Both the fields are focused on flight mechanics and materials science. While Aeronautical Engineering is focused on flight inside the earth’s atmosphere, which includes airplanes, helicopters, gliders, and related devices, Astronautical Engineering is focused on flight outside the earth’s atmosphere. Aerospace Engineering is the discipline which is closest to what is popularly known as ‘Rocket Science’.

Aeronautical Engineering specialises in research and development, i.e., designing, construction, development, testing, operation and maintenance of both commercial and military aircraft, spacecrafts and their components as well as satellites and missiles. The specialisation available in this branch includes structural design, navigational guidance and control systems, instrumentation and communication or production methods, or it can be in a particular product such as military aircrafts, passenger planes, helicopters, satellites, rockets, etc. Technology like the computer-aided design (CAD) software, robotics, laser and advanced electronic optics are used by them.

Skills required

The most important skills required for this field are alertness, attention to detail, technical precision, focus, and teamwork. Physical fitness and complete dedication to work are the other requirements, along with a high level of mathematical precision and an analytical bent of mind. Though highly paid, the work is very demanding.

Study route: The basic eligibility criterion for admission to Aeronautical Engineering is 10+2 or an equivalent examination with physics, chemistry and mathematics as compulsory subjects along with a good aggregate percentage. Selection to BE/BTech courses is through IIT-JEE which the IITs conduct in January and May every year. Besides the IITs, there are some other institutes which also conduct entrance examinations for the admission of students. The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST - http://www.iist.ac.in/) offers undergraduates BTech programme in Avionics, Aerospace Engineering and Physical Sciences. Admission to the undergraduate programmes (BTech) at IIST are through the ISAT.

Aeronautical Engineering can be pursued with mechanical and electronics branches as specialised areas of study. One could even go in for a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and further specialisation can be pursued at the post-graduate level. One can also opt for a diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering. Diploma holders can acquire degrees on clearing the exams of the Aeronautical Society of India. Students who have passed Standard XII/ II PUC with physics and mathematics can enroll for a three-year course, equivalent to an Aeronautical Engineering course, with the AMAeSI (Associate Membership of Aeronautical Society of India) Institutes, which conduct the course and make arrangements for practical training. Aeronautical Engineering being a research-oriented field, one should take the time to make an honest assessment of their strengths and what they think they would enjoy doing more, and choose accordingly.

When we choose a career based on our natural inclination towards work, we perform better and get better growth opportunities.

Career prospects

Engineers may work in areas like design, development, maintenance as well as in the managerial and teaching posts in institutes. They have a very good demand in airlines, aircraft manufacturing units, air turbine production plants or design development programmes for the aviation industry. Aerospace environ-ment is sophisticated with rewarding career opportunities involving leading edge technology.

Job opportunities

In India, aeronautical engineers are mostly employed by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and the Defense Ministry. One can also look for jobs available with the Civil Aviation Department, National Aeronautical Laboratory, Defense Research and Development Laboratories (DRDO) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). A good percentage of Indians constitute the work force of engineers and technical professionals in NASA.

Few institutes offering Aeronautical Engineering are:

*IIT, Powai, Mumbai 

*IIT, Kharagpur 

*IIT, Chennai

*IIT, Kanpur

*Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai

*MIT Campus, Anna University, Chromepet, Chennai

*Hindustan Institute of Engineering Technology, Chennai

*Nehru College of Aeronautical and Applied Sciences, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu)

*Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh

*School of Aviation Science and Technology, Delhi Flying Club, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi - Full time Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course of four years duration, duly approved by DGCA.

*Indian Institute of Aeronautics, Patna Airport, Patna — Aircraft Maintenance Engineering

*Institute of Aviation Technology, Bahadurgarh, Haryana

*Indian Institute for Aeronautical Engineering & Information Techn-ology, Pune

*VSM Institute of Aerospace Engineering & Technology, Bangalore

*Hindustan Electronics Academy, Ulsoor, Bangalore — Four year BTech in Aerospace Engineering degree course recognised by IGNOU and three year Aircraft Maintenance Engineering course approved by DGCA

*Indian Institute of Aeronautical Engineering (IIAE), Dehradun

The Madras Institute of Technology offers a three year graduate programme in Aeronautical Engineering for BSc students, subject to their having passed maths and physics at the graduation stage. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore has MTech and PhD programmes in aeronautics. 

Overseas, you could look at pursuing the course from:

*The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands, Europe

*Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

*Georgia Institute of Technology, USA

*University of Michigan, USA

*Purdue University, USA

*California Institute of Technology, USA

*University of Maryland, USA

*University of Illinois, USA

*Stanford University, USA

*University of Texas at Austin, USA

*Virginia Tech, USA

*Embry-Riddle Aerona-utical University, USA

*United States Air Force Academy, USA.

(The writer is a guidance counsellor.)