Tracks course displays the possibilities of the aviation industry

The aviation industry needs engineers

It’s easy to get stuck on design and manufacturing when thinking about engineering jobs within the aviation industry. But in fact, most job opportunities are created after an aircraft leaves the factory. Engineers working with ongoing maintenance can detect faults or deficiencies in design and submit suggestions for improvements to the manufacturer. It may also involve pure adaptations, such as converting a passenger plane into a cargo plane; then engineers are needed to calculate how the construction should be adapted to hold under the altered conditions.

Don’t just read, do!

Pure theory isn't always inspiring; courses in aerospace engineering often deal with how best to design a wing or some other detail. There are courses on turbo engines, jet engines, and propulsion. Patxi Rodriguez Acero wants to contribute an overarching view of the aircraft as a whole entity – a complete machine – and he wants to do so by letting participants try out different elements themselves.

During a study visit at Chalmers’ partner Trollhättan-Vänersborgs airport students were able to go on a test flight onboard a SAAB 430B, where they made measurements of, for example, the descent rate of the plane, how it was affected by the wind over a certain distance and the differences between ground speed and indicated airspeed.

– With this experience, when writing a report explaining the correlations you’ve discovered, you gain an increased understanding and it will be easier to remember what you’ve learned, explains Patxi Rodriguez Acero.

Industry needs

The course Aircraft Systems and Airworthiness, like many Tracks courses, was created in response to a specific need within the industry, and companies have themselves described which competencies they find hard to obtain. As a participant in the course, you gain basic knowledge that provides a useful foundation within the aviation industry. For example, you learn about international standards used, important differences between various types of aircraft, technical vocabulary and technical documentation. A large part of the course is dedicated to airplanes, but you will also gain basic knowledge of operation of other aerial machines like helicopters and drones.

– When airlines hire someone completely new, they spend a considerable number of hours conveying this basic knowledge – how an airplane works, how different systems work, how to communicate. Ofcourse they will still need to train their newly hired staff, but both time and money are saved by having these basic knowledge already in place, says Patxi Rodriguez Acero. 

Field trips and collaborations

During the spring of 2024, participants in the course were invited on three field trips:

1. The Aeroseum Flight Experience Center in Säve, outside Gothenburg. With simulator flying and a lecture by Lars Wahlberg, former technical responsible for the flight control system in Jas39.
2. SAS Technical Operations in Copenhagen, where students, in addition to lectures, got to visit the hangar and get acquainted with the Airbus A-350 up close.
3. Trollhättan-Vänersborgs flygplats, Fyrstadsflyget, including a test flight with a SAAB 430B, chartered from Västflyg.
   Watch the movie here. 

Open for Late Applications autumn 2024

The course is open for late applications between August 20 and September 6, read more here.