Introduction to Aerospace Engineering

Octavian Thor Pleter, PhD, PhD, MBA (MBS)

This presentation draws on ideas from Dr. Pleters articles, books, and unpublished manuscripts. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means or in any form - electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without written consent from Octavian Thor Pleter or the
Brainbond consultancy firm, www.brainbond.ro Version 1.2 dated 30 October 2013 O. T. Pleter and Brainbond

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Introduction to Aerospace Engineering

3 CP = 3 credit points
Elective subject
2C = 2 hrs course weekly
Grading policy:

Final exam
Team assignment 1
Team assignment 2
Class attendance

50%
20%
20%
10%

Textbooks: A. F. MacDonald, I. L. Peppler

From the Ground Up, Aviation Publishers
Co. Limited, Ottawa 2000
O. T. Pleter, Introduction to Aerospace
Engineering, Brainbond, Bucuresti
2009
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Course Outlines
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Introduction. Why Aerospace Engineering?

Flight Principles. Classification of Aircraft and Spacecraft.
Airplane. Aircraft Structure and Systems. Flight Control.
Aircraft Classes and Categories. Aircraft Materials.
Airplane Flight. Lift, Weight, Thrust, Drag. Airfoils.
Axes. Controls, Stability. Load Factor. Stall.
Helicopters. Controls, Stability. Lighter than Air Aircraft.
Airspeed, Mach Number. Flight Instruments: Pitot, Gyro, Magnetic.
Aero Engines and the Fuel System. Piston Engine. Jet Engine.
Instruments.
10.Aerodrome Operations. Air Traffic Management, Airspace. VFR, IFR.
11.Spacecraft Propulsion, Control and Stability.
12.Navigation. Air Navigation Systems. Automatic Flight Control. FMS.
13.Air Transport Engineering. Aviation Business. Regulators. Chicago
Convention.
14.Conclusions.
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What is engineering?

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What is engineering?
science

based on mathematical and

algorithmic representations and models
creativity
creative science
practicality applied science
utility
goal: to build useful artificial structures
wide scope multidisciplinary science
realism
choice of best trade-offs

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vs. non-science
vs. descriptive
vs. fundamental
vs. art
vs. specialization
vs. idealism

Aeronautical engineering

Astronautical engineering

Aerospace engineering

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Why Aerospace Engineering?

Say your reasons to be here

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Why Aerospace Engineering?

1. Easy to be addicted to (entertaining, lovable)

2. Most demanding / challenging (complexity, adversity)
3. Makes us different (our personal strategy differentiation)

4. Better jobs (better pay, better professional satisfaction)

5. Romanians are good at it (native talent, competitive school)
6. Increasing shortage worldwide (promising trend)

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Examples of Remarkable Aerospace Engineers

Name a few that you know

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Henri Coanda (1886-1972)

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10

Henri Coanda Case Study

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Elie Carafoli (1901-1983)

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Dumitru Prunariu

Soyuz
1981

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13

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George Firican
Chief of Flight Engineering Office
(TAROM)
Chief of Flight Preparations Office
(TAROM)

Deputy Regional
Director EuropeNorth Atlantic

Deputy Chief Navigator (TAROM)

Executive Director (Air Special
Services)

Graduated IPB-FA
in 1981

Director of Air Navigation Services

(ROMATSA)

ATCO Radar License

Flight Navigator License - B707
Civil Aviation Senior Management training
ICAO Safety Oversight Auditor Training
ICAO Safety Management Systems Training
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Director of Aviation Business Unit

(Ensemble, Vancouver, Canada)
Deputy Regional Director, European
and North Atlantic Office of ICAO
(Paris, France)
15

RVSM

1997-2011

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Eduard Porosnicu
Aeronautical Information Management Senior Specialist
Graduated UPB-FIA in 1992
Scientific Researcher at IMFDZ
AIS Inspector in the Romanian CAA
AIS and PANS-OPS training, Luxembourg
Project Management Professionals (PMP) Training
Electronic AIP Project Manager
Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM) Project Manager
Digital NOTAM Project Manager
Chairman of the EUROCONTROL Aeronautical Information Services Technical Sub-group
Member of the ARINC 829 WG (Open Navigation Databases
Exchange), EUROCAE WG 44 (Airport Mapping Databases)

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xNOTAM
2006

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xNOTAM - 2006

Eurocontrol FAA ICAO

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Tony Licu
European Safety Programme manager
Graduated UPB-FIA in 1992
Air traffic controller licence radar en-route (1993)
Head of ATC Office within Romanian CAA (1993-1995)
Head of ASM Division of ROMATSA (1996-1997)
Project Manager for the Operational Requirements of the ROMATSA
Modernisation Programme (1997-1999)
Seconded in EUROCONTROL Experimental Centre (Bretigny Sur
Orge) to run fast-time and real-time simulations (1997, 1999)
Safety Expert within Safety Regulation Unit of EUROCONTROL Brussels (1999-2005)
EUROCONTROL Strategic Safety Action Plan Programme Manager Brussels (2005-2006)

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ESP
2007

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Professor Adriana Nastase, Dr. Eng., Dr. Math

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Professor Adriana Nastase, Dr. Eng., Dr. Math

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Elena Senchea-Popescu

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