Aeronautics is the study of airplane and helicopter design. Many people who work in this exciting industry trained specifically for it by getting an aeronautical degree. In order to get this degree, you must choose what specialization you want to go into and take a variety of math and science courses. In addition, it is helpful to find an internship to find the best fit for your skills and interests.
The first step you must take to get an aeronautical degree is to choose what kind of specialization you want to work on. Traditionally, there are two paths you can take, either pursuing an aeronautical engineering degree or pursuing an aeronautical science degree. Both degrees focus on the technical aspects of flight, but they train students for different futures.
An aeronautical science degree prepares you for a career in the pilot's seat. With this aeronautical degree, you must study technical fields such as avionics, flight physiology, aeronautical operations and navigation. Many of these degrees have a required amount of flight training time required in order to earn a pilot's license. This type of degree is ideal if you plan on becoming a commercial pilot, an air traffic controller or a flight instructor.
If your career goals are aimed at being behind a computer screen and not an airplane's yoke, you must prepare with an aeronautical degree in engineering. This path will teach you how to design and build aircraft ranging from small propeller planes to jets to spacecraft. To earn a degree in this field, you must earn high marks in classes such as thermodynamics, propulsion, structural dynamics, flight design and aircraft electronics. This coursework will help you understand how airplanes are constructed and how they achieve flight. With this understanding, you will be prepared for a career as an airplane designer, a flight engineer or an airplane mechanic.
The path of earning an aeronautical degree can be difficult, especially choosing a specialization. In order to make clearer sense of your options and what areas of this field you excel in, it is helpful to hold several internships. Taking a job with an engineering firm or at an airfield can help you see how the day-to-day life of this career works and can give you insight into how well you fit the job. Many internships also lead to discovering a career that is different from your original plan, so they are a helpful part of earning a degree.