Exciting Engineering Careers in the Airline Sector!
Becoming an aircraft engineer can mean many different things, and in order to have a more clear idea of what you want to do within this line of work, you’ll need to learn more about what it consists of. The basic job description of an aircraft engineer is someone who maintains aircrafts and keeps them running as smoothly as possible. There are hundreds of different kinds of engineers for different parts of the plane, including airframe structure, electrical systems, radio navigation systems, and engine systems. Before you select just one trade in this industry, you will really want to do your homework and make sure that it is something you would be interested in. The more interested you are in what you are doing, the better you will be at it.
In order to start working in this line of work, you will need to become certified in your state. This requires going into a program that lasts anywhere from 18 to 24 months. You will need to complete the necessary course requirements which will give you both academic and hands-on training for the kind of work you will be doing in a real job for an airline company. Both of these forms of training are important and will play a huge role in how well you do your job. When looking for a school with a good engineering program, you need to make sure that it’s one that will look good on your future resume. This is probably one of the most important things that future employers will look at on your application.
The kind of planes you will be working on is another issue, because not all aircraft engineers can or will work on all different types of planes. There are very specific differences between different aircrafts, and you will learn all about them when you go to school to get certified. There are also engineering positions that you can get where you are responsible for coming up with new designs for Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: aircraft engineering, aircraft worldRelated posts
Aircraft Undercarriages
With very few exceptions, all aircraft need an undercarriage. This performs two main functions:
o It supports the aircraft on the ground.
o It absorbs the shock of landings and provides smooth taxying.
There is more to an undercarriage than just carrying out these functions, however. It must support the aircraft in the desired attitude on the ground, so that the drag on the take-off run is minimised, and the aircraft taxies without any tendency to float at normal speeds. It must withstand the loads that will occur during all movements on the ground, including braking and side loads. The undercarriage serves no function at all during flight, so it must be as small and light as possible.
There are many different layouts of undercarriage in current use. The type chosen depends on the type of aircraft and its intended use. For almost all aircraft, except some light aircraft, the tricycle layout is preferred, because it supports the aircraft in a horizontal attitude, giving low drag during the ground run. However, there are several different kinds of main unit, for different installations.
The designer’s main concern when choosing the type of main unit is how many wheels the unit will have, and their arrangement. This will depend on the weight of the aircraft and the way in which the undercarriage is to be retracted. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: aircraft world, light aircraftRelated posts
Aircraft Maintenance Checks
All aircraft, like cars, must undergo regular maintenance in order to keep them fit for flying (though obviously cars don’t fly). The consequences of a poorly maintained aircraft however are much more grave than of a poorly maintained car. In this article, I will illustrate important maintenance checks aircraft must undergo.
There are 5 main aircraft maintenance checks: Daily check and A, B, C and D checks.
The Daily check contrary to the name, does not need to be performed every day. It must however be completed after every 24-60hrs of flight time. The aircraft is visually inspected for any damage to any part of the fuselage, fluid levels are checked, the general security and cleanliness of the flight deck is looked at, and, finally, emergency equipment is checked for its presence and condition.
A Checks must be performed every 500 hours or monthly, whichever is sooner. This generally takes place overnight at the gate of an airport. The A check comprises all aspects of the Daily and also: crew oxygen system pressure, emergency lights, lubricates the nose gear retractor, parking brake pressure and uses the BITE to test the onboard electronics.
B Checks are not as common these days as they fall under fairly vague ground and checks are instead distributed between A and C. However, where B is are completed it follows a similar itinerary to A, but are a little more vigorous. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: aircraft maintenance, aircraft world