Advice on a career in Aerospace Engineering 1

[Jeal]

Hello,

Currently, I have 10 years experience as an Aircraft Electrician/Environmental Specialist. I have 1 year left on my enlistment and I am ready to start a new career in engineering. I have an Associates degree in Applied Science.

My questions are:

1. Can you specialize in electronics as an Aerospace Engineer? I am interested in schematic and electrical design.

2. What would your advice be to someone with an Associates degree and 1 year available for schooling? I don't think I have enough time to achieve a bachelors degree before I need to find a job. Would my time be better spent moving as close to a bachelors degree as I can or should I take some pre-engineering, non-degree courses and hope for an internship somewhere that allows for academic advancement while working?

3. I am 30 years old. Is it too late for me to begin this career path? I don't know how competitive the job market is, but everyone my age will have 10 years on me. I have a lot of applicable knowledge about aircraft and electronics, but very little training in design.

I hope that my questions are appropriate for this forum. If I am posting this in the wrong area, please direct me to the proper area or forum. I am really excited about my new career!

Thank you

 

[MikeHalloran]

I get the impression that Aerospace Engineering school is heavy on structures and kinetics.

Electronics engineers' horizons are not limited to aerospace, so there's no official specialty like Aero/Electronics engineering.

If you got good grades in your AS program, they may be acceptable for credit at a 4 year school. You have to ask the school.

You're certainly not too old.

Now for the bad news. The practical experience may not be very helpful in school, and EE math is really, really hard.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[kontiki99]

Jeal,

There's a lot of military maintenance and mod work contracted out by the Govt. If you have hands on experience with current equipment, and know how to work in that environment you can probably find decent technicians pay. You will probably need to relocate.

Then you can consider going to school nights to get your EE degree. Getting an A&P can help too.

I'm an Avionics Engineer and hold an A&P. I've worked for about 4 major airlines and the Department of the Navy, and places that had monikers like “Corrosion Corner.”

I don't really do much design work. I'm more of a project manager. As a technical track person, I’m more interested in FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) certification.

I started and stopped attending school 2-3 times before finishing.

The last go around, I worked midnights as the lead mechanic on an overnight maintenance crew. We overnighted 5 twin turboprop aircraft for a commuter outfit. During the day I would study and sleep. Eventually, I volunteered to be the first one laid off during a downturn, sold my house, and used the money to get started on the last 2-3 years of school work.

There is a lot more modification work than design work in avionics. Operators keep an airframe for many years. Regulations and new technologies drive mod after mod in the world of avionics.

I’m told the best money in avionics is design work at an avionics manufacturer like Collins or Honeywell.

It’s a tough business. Airlines cannot make money. I believe it’s the underlying business model. It’s all about competing by cutting wages and costs.

Additionally, it’s not very mobile. You don’t get to pick any geographic location to live. You always live near large bases or maintenance facilities. It’s not like an accountant, or a doctor than can find work in any city.

At the risk of being presumptuous I’d also like to add a bit more advice.

I see a trap in my first paragraph. Also, as a former enlisted person, I believe it’s very easy for someone fresh out of the service to set enlisted like (second tier) goals. If you were working in avionics, the military determined you were very bright, but you just didn’t have a degree. I got out and went to trade school to be a mechanic. I made good blue collar money but was bored to tears. Even though I did go back and get my degree, I don’t believe I ever realized my full potential. I set goals too low early on.

If it hasn’t occurred to you already, grasp that you can do anything! Set extremely high goals for yourself and just figure out how to make it happen. Don’t take no for an answer. Go back to school and follow through to become whatever you would want to be, if you had all the resources in the world. You are young enough to become a world class surgeon, a great trial lawyer, a congressman, a president, a general, an airline pilot, an astronaut, a rocket scientist. I’m not kidding.

Good luck whatever you do.

 

[Jeal]

Thanks, both posts give me some heavy thinking to do. There is an affordable A&P here on base. I was toying with the idea of taking it as a backup plan in case I couldn't find a job right off. I can handle almost any kind of aircraft maintenance and mod work, so fitting in there would be cake. I have to agree, however, that I am/would be bored to tears with the work. Repetitive, monotonous work is suffocating to me and a BIG factor in my decision to leave the Air Force.

I think in the next year I will not worry too much about getting a full degree in time. I will get my A&P so I have a security blanket and start taking classes at a normal pace. After re-reading my original post, I think that is what I wanted to do anyway. Thanks for the thoughtful and informative answers!

 

[IRstuff]

If you're serious about getting an engineering job, you need a BS degree. Anything less than that will seriously handicap your chances.

TTFN

 

[BigBadJet]

If you're serious, do all you can to work toward a B.S. degree. Don't limit yourself to whatever the GI bill will pay out. Good employers will usually offer tuition reimbursement, which is what I'm doing.

I earned a B.A. degree in 1986. After many years working in flight operations, I finally realized that I wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than a BS in Aero Engineering. Fortunately my employer has a decent tuition reimbursement plan, so now I'm back in school pursuing it.

If you can go full-time for a year, do it. Do whatever you can. Then get the best job you can doing what you know, and keep going to school part-time. Just keep picking away at it.

 

[bsmith123]

check out USAJOBS.com for government engineering and technical work---you may want to look into field service rep----pretty good job if you have the knack. Also the government has engineering development programs that help pay for the school.


for tech work search for job title "equipment specialist" look
for a pay grade of around gs-11-12 or YA02

Stop by any field reps office on base and talk to them about it

Finally I say a BIG AMEN to Kontiki99's post---- best advice I've heard in ages

Go for what you really want!


Best of Luck

 

[KENAT]

Don't know if the US has anything similar but in the UK I actually studies Aerospace Systems Engineering. Would something like this be more up your street?

The first 2 years were common with Aeronautical and Aerospace so lots of structures and aerodynamics as well as control, Thermodynamics, advanced math etc.

The last year we concentrated more on systems, not just electrical but also hydraulic etc as well as looking at avionics and guidance/navigation etc.

No you're not too old though the cost may be a factor.

Also I don't know about EE math but certainly the Aero math was hard. Grad Div Curl anyone.

 

[sszuch]

I definately agree with IRstuff, but don't get discouraged. I worked as an A&P/Sheetmetal mechanic for several years while attending a junior college. I finally made the switch to a 4 year school when I ran out of classes to take, and just finished my BSME in May. Although, I work with a friend who recieved a 2 year degree in EE. Now would be the time to start talking to potential employers to see what degrees they require. Many employers offer tuition reimbersment and will let you work as a designer/engineer as long as you are persuing a degree.

A BIG DITTO on kontiki99's last paragraph! You can do it.

 

[TStone619]

If you want to work on Aerospace electronics, I would enroll in a CATIA V5 class. This is what they use to model electrical systems on aircraft. Get a certified, which just requires a simple multiple choice test that the CATIA tutorial covers. With this on your resume and your experience, you should be able to land a job at Boeing, Northrop, or anyone that uses CATIA.