Aerospace engineering and aeronautical engineering are two very similar careers. If you’re looking for a career that combines creativity with science, these two are both great options. This article aims to compare aerospace engineering vs aeronautical engineering.
Aeronautical engineers spend most of their time designing and building airplanes, while aerospace engineers focus on the technology that goes into vehicles like planes, rockets, and satellites.Â
Though there are some differences between these two professions – especially when it comes to training requirements – we’ll explore them here so you can decide which one fits your interests best.
Table of Contents
What is Aerospace Engineering?
Aerospace engineering is a broad field that covers all aspects of air and space vehicles, including their design, construction, and operation.Â
Aerospace engineers are responsible for the design and development of new technologies. As such, the field has high job mobility with engineers often shifting careers between related industries such as aviation or defense contracting.
What is Aeronautical Engineering?
Aeronautical engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the design, production, and operation of aircraft.
It is one of the oldest branches of engineering, as it began with the development of balloons in the 18th century. Today aeronautical engineers are still designing new aircraft but they also work on designing missiles, rockets, and spacecraft.
Aeronautical engineers are responsible for creating new technologies, improving existing ones, and maintaining the safety of the planes they design.
Aeronautical engineers work in a wide range of industries such as defense, aerospace, civil aviation, and space exploration.
Job Outlook: How Do They Compare?
Both aerospace engineering and aeronautical engineering are growing fields, but aeronautic engineers (growing at 8%) may have slightly more opportunities than their aerospace counterparts (growing at 6%).
The field of aerospace engineering is broad and covers many topics, including rocket propulsion, flight mechanics, satellite communication systems, and navigation systems.Â
The field has several specializations that you can pursue after graduation including remote sensing; guidance navigation and control systems; high-speed flight dynamics; space physics; high energy density power sources for space vehicles; hypersonic aerothermodynamics (the study of heat transfer in the air); propulsion system design for military aircraft, to name a few.
On the other hand, Aeronautics focuses on the design and development of aircraft with an emphasis on how they operate within the earth’s atmosphere as well as outer space. Aeronauts also study how new technologies can be used to improve airplanes’ safety performance in conjunction with commercial airlines.Â
The field has more specific job opportunities available due to its specialization focus whereas the broader field of Aerospace Engineering offers a wider array of opportunities related to designing machines that fly across different environments like water or air, which may require different designs.
How to Become an Aerospace Engineer
You can study for a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. In this case, you would be studying the same topics as an aeronautical engineer but with more focus on the engineering side of things. This will give you a broader understanding of how aircraft and spacecraft work.
As an alternative, you can also study for a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering, and afterward, enroll in a specialization course for Aerospace Engineering (master’s program).
However, the aerospace engineering discipline requires you to have a strong math and science background to be considered for admission. So, consider making up your mind in high school.
How to Become an Aeronautical Engineer
First, you need to get the best high school education possible. Like the aerospace engineering discipline, you should take as many math and science classes as possible to stand a high chance of being enrolled in an aeronautical engineering program.
After high school, enroll in a bachelor’s degree majoring in either aeronautical or aerospace engineering. This usually takes three to four years to complete. However, completing postgraduate studies afterward will be beneficial for your career.
Next, you should consider internships and mentorships with professional engineers who can help guide your career path. It is also important that you gain plenty of hands-on experience working with different types of aircraft and engines before graduating college.
After graduation, it is important that both aerospace engineers and aeronautical engineers continue their training through continuing education classes or certification programs so they can stay up-to-date on current technologies used within their fields of study.
Skills Demanded in These Jobs
In addition to solving problems and organizing data, aerospace engineers need to be able to work in teams. For example, they often work with other engineers on design teams or research teams.Â
They also might collaborate with people who are not engineers but have specialized skills that are needed for the design or testing of a particular product, such as materials scientists or industrial designers.
Aeronautical engineers use their knowledge of aerodynamics and thermodynamics when designing aircraft. They also use their expertise in math and physics for evaluating aircraft or other vehicles during flight tests.
Aerospace engineers must be good communicators who can communicate technical information clearly and concisely so that other people will understand it easily.
Other skills demanded in these jobs (in no particular order) include:
- Critical thinking
- Engineering management
- Planning
- Analytical skills
- Math skills
What are the Similarities Between the Two?
Both aeronautics and aerospace engineering is involved with the design and development of aircraft. Both are also involved in the design and development of spacecraft, missiles, rockets, as well as other vehicles used to transport people or cargo into space.Â
In addition to these similarities, both fields include research into how best to improve existing aircraft (and their subsystems) as well as how best to create new ones from scratch.
Challenges
Though both aerospace engineering and aeronautical engineering are based on similar principles, they differ in their focus.Â
Aerospace engineers study the design and construction of spacecraft used within and out of the Earth’s atmosphere, while aeronautical engineers look at the design and construction of aircraft. It is safe to say that aeronautical engineering is a branch of aerospace engineering; the other being astronautical engineering.
In addition to these differences in subject matter, there are also different challenges associated with each field. If you’re interested in either career path, it’s crucial that you understand what those challenges entail so that you can prepare yourself for them.
Aerospace engineers may face a number of different challenges when working on projects that involve space travel or aircraft. For example:
- They must be able to work well under pressure because there is typically a tight deadline involved with these projects;
- They need good communication skills because they will often be working as part of a team; and
- They must learn how to solve problems effectively without guidance from others, if necessary.
Career Benefits
If you’re already in one discipline and are wondering if the other is more suitable, it’s helpful to know that they are actually quite similar. Both aerospace engineers and aeronautical engineers have many of the same job titles, such as project engineer and research scientist.Â
The main difference is that aeronautical engineering has a more specialized education that may make it easier for graduates to find jobs with military contractors or aviation companies.
On top of this, most people consider aeronautical engineers to be more technically skilled than aerospace engineers because they go into greater detail about their projects. Aerospace engineers tend to be less involved with design work than their counterparts.Â
This makes sense since aeronautic engineering focuses on designing aircraft while aerospace engineering focuses on building space vehicles like rockets and satellites.
Differences
Aerospace engineering is more difficult because it requires a high level of math, physics, and problem-solving skills. Aerospace engineers are also required to be familiar with the basic principles of engineering in order to properly design an aircraft.Â
They must also be able to use computers for computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and finite element analysis software.
Aeronautical engineers are involved in all aspects of designing and building aircraft from concept through certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They usually work closely with aerodynamicists, structural designers, propulsion specialists, and avionics experts who work together as a team to build new planes or improve existing ones.
These professionals typically specialize in either civil or military aviation craft so they can focus on specific areas such as propulsion technology or flight control systems design.
Which One is Tougher?
Here’s the easy answer: both fields are challenging, but if you’re looking for a challenge, aerospace engineering is where it’s at. But if you want something more hands-on, aeronautical engineering might be more your style.
The best way to figure out which one is right for you is by doing some research. Look up some schools with programs in each discipline and see what their websites say about the difficulty level of their program.Â
Speak with department heads or professors who have experience teaching in both fields; they’ll give you a better idea of what to expect from each major as far as workload goes.Â
Aerospace Engineering vs Aeronautic Engineering: The Verdict
With all this information in mind, you can probably see why a degree in aeronautical engineering would be more likely to involve the design, production, and testing of aircraft and their systems.Â
Aerospace engineers are more likely to be involved in the whole process from concept through to development and implementation, rather than just one section of it.
There is also another major difference between these two types of engineering: aerospace engineers work with software that simulates flight while aeronautical engineers use computer programs designed to create physical models that can be tested under real conditions.
Finally, in terms of salary, these two professionals earn good money. So good, in fact, they make almost the same thing on average. According to Indeed, aeronautical engineers (working in NASA) make $106,325 on average annual salary; aerospace engineers make $102,300. These are both comfortable compensation benefits.
However, the final verdict is that if you are looking for an expanding field with more opportunities open in the future, then aeronautical engineering may be good for you. But if you love the idea of tinkering with space technology, then consider aerospace engineering. There’s so little difference between the two; either profession is great!
Albeit, whatever you decide to study, you must know that it will be challenging; you must consistently be on your academic best to succeed in either aircraft or space-related professions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aeronautical Engineering the same as Aerospace Engineering?
Aeronautical Engineering is a branch of Aerospace Engineering; the other branch is astronautical engineering. It deals with aircraft design and propulsion of spacecraft that fly within the Earth’s atmosphere.
Can an aerospace engineer become an astronaut?
Due to their obvious similarities and close education requirements, this is highly possible. In fact, aerospace engineers can specialize as aeronautical or astronautical engineers.
Are aerospace engineers in demand?
The demand for aerospace engineers will increase by 6 percent between 2021 to 2031, according to BLS. During this time, there will be about 3,700 job openings, which is fair to say this professional will see relative growth in demand.
Does NASA hire aeronautical engineers?
Yes. If this is your dream, prepare for it. NASA hires aeronautical engineers.
Which profession pays more: aerospace or aeronautical engineering?
Aeronautical engineering slightly pays more.
Recommended Reads
- Is Aerospace Engineering Hard?
- How to Become an Astronaut
- Top 10 Hardest Engineering Courses in the World
- 15 Easiest Engineering Degrees to Get for Success.
Wrapping It Up
As you can see, there are a lot of similarities between the two careers and some slight differences as well. Hopefully, this article has helped you make a decision on which one is right for you. If so, congratulations! Now go out there and get those astronaut wings.