Also called: Aeroelastician, Structural Dynamics Engineer
Makes sure wings and tails don't start shaking themselves apart when air rushes past them.
You build models of how a wing bends and twists at high speed, then help run flight tests where small vanes shake the airplane on purpose while you watch live data for warning signs. Your sign-off is needed before the airplane is allowed to fly faster.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Master's in aerospace engineering is common.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Growing faster than average (about 6% over 10 years). Aerospace engineers overall.
Low risk for 10 years. AI speeds aeroelastic simulation; ground vibration tests, flight tests and safety sign-off stay human.
Classes: AP Physics C, AP Calculus, Computer science, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2011.
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