Career in Aeronautical Engineering

What: Aeronautical, or aerospace, engineering deals with the development of new technology in the field of aviation, space exploration, and defence systems. It specializes in the designing, construction, development, testing, operation, and maintenance of commercial and military aircraft, spacecraft and their components, and satellites and missiles. The main thrust in this area is on design and development, which extends to even space and satellite research. Specializations are offered in areas, like structural design, navigational guidance and control systems, instrumentation and communication, and production methods. Aeronautical engineering aspirants can also focus on a particular product, such as military aircrafts, passenger planes, helicopters, satellites, rockets etc.

The specialisations includes in areas like structural design, navigational guidance and control systems, instrumentation and communication or production methods or it can be in a particular product such as military aircrafts, passenger planes, helicopters, satellites, rockets etc. Engineers may work in areas like design, development, and maintenance as well as in the managerial and teaching posts in institutes.

Salary of most aeronautical engineers depends on academic excellence and individual skills, but the average start-up pay in this field ranges from 3-5 lakhs per annum. A highly skilled and experienced aeronautical engineer may even be offered a package of Rs.80, 000 – 1.25 lakh per month. Generally, salary and perquisites are better in the private sector than the government sector. The approximate starting salaries in the government/public sectors, such as HAL and NAL, are Rs.30,000 to Rs.40,000 per month. Those working in research organizations, like ISRO and DRDO, are paid monthly remuneration of Rs.35,000 to Rs.45,000.

How: Aeronautical Engineers work with one of the most technologically advanced branches of engineering. The main thrust in this area is on design and development of aircrafts to space and satellite research. Jobs are available with the national, international, public and private Airline Services as well as aircraft-manufacturing units. Job opportunities for an Aeronautical Engineer in India, lies with various airlines like Air India, Indian Airlines, Helicopter Corporation of India and flying clubs, private airlines and government owned air service and aircraft manufacturers.

To be an aeronautical engineer one should have a graduate degree (B.E/B.Tech.) or at least a diploma in Aeronautics. The degree and postgraduate degree courses are offered by the engineering colleges and Institutes of Technology (IITs), and the diploma courses are available at polytechnics. The basic eligibility criteria for a BE / B.Tech is 10+2 or equivalent examination, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and must have a fairly high percentage of marks in the aggregate. One must also pass the qualifying exam JEE (Joint Entrance Exam) conducted by the IIT.

Where: Besides the IITs, there are other institutes which conduct their respective entrance examinations for offering admission to students. Plus, there are various national and state level entrance exams for admission in this course. But most institutes running engineering courses in aeronautics consider JEE score as the qualifying grade. Besides, diploma courses are also available in aeronautical engineering. BE/B.Tech is a four-year program, while Diplomas run for 2-3 years in duration. For M.Tech or PhD program in aeronautical engineering, one should obtain a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering, or any other equivalent branches of engineering.

Institutions: (see below)