Aerospace Engineers?

Question

Hi,

I am going into high school next year and would like to pursue aerospace engineering. I understand I need all the math i can take in and would like to get a jump on some of it. Could anyone suggest some software that would help teach me a few things about math like calculus, triginomitry, etc.? Also, how long may I be in college? I also was thinking about going into the air force as an engineer for a few years to get some experience under my belt. Would that be a good choice if I wanted to get a job at a place like Boeing or Lockheed Martin? And a little side question about the air force: a friend of mine wants to be an Aerospace Engineer to and wanted to know if you had to train like the pilots to be one in the air force. Even if I do that want stop me! And one last question: is there any hands on work as an engineer or will I get to see any fighter jets or any kind of plane up close? That would be to awsome!!

Answer 1

I'm not sure about software, but I'm sure there is something out there.  Try a web search.  There are lots of online resources maintained that contain the basics and advanced material.  You might be best off to get an introductory text from the library.  A librarian can usually help, just ask.

An undergrad degree is usually 4 years.  After that you'll need to work a bit to gain experience and usually you'll write the professional engineer exams after 2-4 years of working experience.  It's different in Canada where the exams only include portions on ethics and law.  A master's degree may not be a bad idea if you're interested in designing planes, but you can make that choice once you get going in university.

Joining the airforce for a few years may help your career.  Only a very small number of people in the air force actually fly planes or even get close to them.  The vast majority do other support roles.  

When working as an engineer whether you get close to the planes during development probably depends on what part of the design you're involved in.  The answer then is, yes, it is possible to get close to the planes, but not everyone does.

Good luck.  Don't forget to enjoy highschool and university along the way.