Nature of the Work Employment Job Outlook

Nature of the Work

Aeronautical engineers create extraordinary machines, from airplanes to spacecraft that travel over 17,000 miles an hour.


They design, develop, and test aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles and supervise the manufacture of these products. Aeronautical engineers who work with spacecraft are astronautical engineers.


Aeronautical engineers develop new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems, and space exploration, often specialising in areas such as structural design, guidance, navigation and control, instrumentation and communication or production methods.


They often use computer-aided design (CAD) software, robotics and lasers and advanced electronic optics. They also may specialize in a particular type of Aeronautical product, such as commercial transports, military fighter jets, helicopters, spacecraft or missiles and rockets. Aeronautical engineers may be experts in aerodynamics, thermodynamics, celestial mechanics, propulsion, acoustics, or guidance and control systems.


Aeronautical engineers typically are employed in the Aeronautical product and parts industry, although their skills are becoming increasingly valuable in other fields. For example in the motor vehicles manufacturing industry, Aeronautical engineers design vehicles that have lower air resistance and thus, increased fuel efficiency.
 

Employment

Aeronautical engineers worked in the Aeronautical product and parts manufacturing industries. Central Government agencies, primarily the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space related research organizations provide jobs.


Architectural, engineering and related services, scientific research and development services, and navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing industry firms accounted for most of the remaining jobs.
 

Job Outlook

Employment of Aeronautical engineers is expected to increase. Favorable opportunities are expected for Aeronautical engineers. The number of degree awarded in this field is not sufficient for the demand for same. 


Some employment opportunities also will occur in industries not typically associated with Aeronautical, such as motor vehicle manufacturing.