Aircraft Engineering with Pilot Studies

This is your introduction to the history of air transport systems leading to the current state of the aviation business.

You will study topics such as the:

• Evolution of surface transportation systems – roadways, railways and waterways
• Beginnings of air transport – first generation airships and winged flying machines
• Development of technologies relating to improvements in civilian and military aircraft designs
• Passenger facility enhancements such as in-flight catering, conveniences and entertainment
• Birth of the modern airliner leading to the demise of the airships and the ocean liners.

You will develop an understanding of the basic properties and applications of materials and of the principles of electronic and electrical engineering. This will include learning about the relationship between the micro-structure and mechanical properties of materials, mechanisms of corrosion and corrosion protection, the principles of electronic and electrical engineering, and the response of electrical elements in circuits to AC or DC supplies.

You will build on the engineering mathematics module from your first year by developing advanced knowledge and skills in mathematical analysis. This will enable you to tackle more advanced engineering problems. Subjects covered include partial differentiation, determinants and matrices, vector analysis

This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of structural behaviour and the nature of stress and strain and provide you with a foundation in engineering dynamics, allowing you to tackle simple engineering problems, and preparing you for subsequent modules.

This module will introduce you to project management techniques, particularly in the areas of project planning, organisation and control. You will develop an understanding of project timings and resource allocation and a broad understanding of quantitative methods used for decision-making in industry. You will gain an understanding of the basic engineering principles that underpin the design of propulsion systems for the aerospace industry and have an introduction to the principles of gas turbine theory and jet engines. The module also covers the principles of aerodynamics for a range of flight conditions and consolidates a good understanding of flight manoeuvres and design aspects with case studies.

In this module you will gain proficiency and knowledge in the planning of multiple leg flight plans and build awareness and experience of aviation meteorology. On completion you should have developed skills including practical knowledge of operational procedures; requirements for safe and adequate flight planning; understanding requirements for time planning; the principles of aviation meteorology; and be able to make rational assessments for flight safety by interpreting synoptic weather forecasts.

You will build on the engineering mathematics module from your first year by developing advanced knowledge and skills in mathematical analysis. This will enable you to tackle more advanced engineering problems. Subjects covered include partial differentiation, determinants and matrices, Laplace transforms and functions of a complex variable

The aims of this module is for you to, develop an in depth knowledge of aviation safety issues, use and evaluate analysis so you can anticipate and alleviate safety risks in aviation and to develop an understanding of Human Factors and CRM to optimise capability to operate in a safe and efficient aviation environment.

You'll learn the basic principles and theory of statics and dynamics as related to the static and dynamic behaviour of an aircraft and the theory of flight control as related to the dynamic behaviour of an aircraft.

This module will introduce the theory of business economics in route planning. You will learn the techniques and methodologies used for navigating an aircraft using modern navigation aids.

On completion of this module you will be able to establish the integrity of typical basic structural aircraft components and explain the process of material selection for the structural items of an aircraft.

In this module you will learn about the fundamentals of lift and drag generation by aerofoils and wings, the theory of low-speed (incompressible) flow, aerofoil aerodynamics and the thin aerofoil theory, wing aerodynamics and the lifting line theory, the fundamentals of boundary layer theory, introduction to high speed (compressible) flow, convergent-divergent nozzles, apparatus and techniques employed in wind tunnel testing as well as the first steps of conducting a numerical flow simulation using computational fluid dynamics.”

In this module you will learn about aircraft design, including detailed refinement of component design and major interactions that have a crucial influence on the overall effectiveness of the design. You will study the interactive nature of aircraft design, including business and commercial influences, and be able to report outcomes effectively.  On completion you should also have an appreciation of market requirements in the design process.            

This module will give you an in depth knowledge of avionic systems currently fitted to modern aircraft, including communication, flight instruments, flight management, automatic flight, warning and recording and passenger systems.

Following on from Flight Systems module in your second year, you will develop a deeper understanding of the theory of statics and dynamics and flight control as related to the dynamic behaviour of an aircraft.

This module has two main components. Industrial management in which you will be introduced to the commercial issues which must be addressed by engineering businesses, and the principles of quality management systems; and project preparation which will develop your ability to work independently, become competent in analysing and assessing the value of information, and develop effective communication skills both written and orally.

A vital part of your career preparation, whether in industry or research, is to complete an individual project. Your final project will be based on an engineering theme of industrial relevance.

This module deals with the analysis of high speed (super- and hypersonic) flows, and of engines as used in aircraft propulsion, particularly gas turbines. The two halves of the module are combined to examine the workings of intakes and exhaust nozzles as part of the study of the components of a gas turbine engine.

In this module you will develop an in-depth knowledge of aerospace systems and subsystem integration. As a case study which is representative of larger aircraft, an in-depth knowledge of design to market requirements of unmanned aerial vehicles and their associated systems is a cornerstone of the module. You will design and implement system requirements relevant to integrated aerospace systems.

A key focus of this module is ‘design for manufacture’ and hence the design has to be built and tested at the end of the module. You will develop a core competency of the design, build, integrate and test procedures of aerospace systems for future requirements.

On successful completion, you will be able to demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the operating principles of aerospace system design and prepare system specifications and integration plans. Ground testing, documentation and flight operations manuals are produced in line with CAA guidelines and requirements. You will also develop a critical understanding of aerospace system developments for future system requirements.

This module provides a systematic understanding of knowledge on computational methods as a tool for the solution of practical engineering problems. You will develop a comprehensive understanding of the development of appropriate computational models of physical systems, and how to interpret the results of the analysis. The module also covers advanced aspects of finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) including harmonic vibration analysis and will give practical instruction in the use of an industry-standard analysis program

This module introduces you to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods for the numerical prediction of aerodynamic flows. You will study finite-difference and finite-volume techniques, the vortex-lattice method, the modern CFD method for the prediction of transonic aerofoil flows and be given an introduction to the requirements for turbulence modelling and review classes of turbulence models.

This module will expose you to real engineering problems in an industrial or aerospace environment. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the processes associated with the assembly of very large aircraft structures, including the techniques of forming, joining and fixturing, and an awareness of the regulatory and design standards that have to be met, and the processes that must be used to ensure conformity with those standards.

This module provides a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the analysis of flight dynamics and the design of flight control systems.