Overview
Key facts
Aircraft performance is an exciting and challenging field that is continuously evolving. For example, by the year 2050, civil aircraft should have 75% less emissions than present day aircraft. This Aircraft Performance – Physics and Simulation course from Delft University of Technology dives into the physics and phenomena that determine aircraft performance to give you practical insights for real-world aircraft operations and development of future aircraft designs.
For professionals with a mechanical (or similar) engineering background, working in the aerospace industry on specific aircraft subsystems, this course will provide you with a system level understanding of aircraft performance and the impact your work has in the bigger picture. Thereby it will help you make better decisions, become more effective and ultimately advance your career.
For engineering Aircraft Performance - Physics and Simulation students at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) aspiring to work in the aerospace industry or interested in pursuing a master degree in aerospace engineering, this course can bridge the gap between mechanical and aeronautical engineering.
What you'll learn:
- Understand the physical principles that determine aircraft performance
- Calculate performance of an aircraft for various flight phases (take-off and landing, climb and descent, cruise and turning flight) in realistic conditions, satisfying real world constraints.
- Determine the flying strategies that result in optimal aircraft performance
- Quantify the impact of sub-system technology improvements, (for example a more powerful and more efficient propulsion system, improved aerodynamics, a better structural design) on system level aircraft performance.
- How to develop computer simulations that allow you to calculate detailed aircraft performance characteristics
Programme Structure
- You will learn to calculate (optimal) performance of an aircraft in realistic operating conditions, satisfying real-world constraints.
- A thorough coverage of the principles of aircraft performance for the key flight phases will be provided by an expert in the field.
- The gap between theory and practice will be bridged by interviews with experienced flight test pilots. Most text books and courses on this topic are either limited to an analytical treatment of relatively simple problems or they focus on operational aspects without a thorough treatment of the physics.
- However, in this course you will also learn how to develop your own physics based computer simulations that calculate realistic aircraft performance characteristics.
- Even though the emphasis in this course is on fixed wing civil aircraft, what you will learn can also be applied directly to other vehicles such as military aircraft, gliders, and unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition to the online course material, you will also receive the E-book "Elements of Airplane Performance" by Ruijgrok.
Audience
This is the right course for you, if you are:
- A pilot, seeking a more fundamental understanding of the physics that govern aircraft performance.
- A professional (mechanical engineer) in the aerospace industry working on a specific aircraft subsystem or discipline (for example, aerodynamicist, landing gear design, etc.)
- An engineering student (mechanical, electrical, applied physics) aiming to transfer to the world of aeronautics.
- An aircraft enthusiast, operating and developing unmanned aerial vehicles in your free time
Key information
Duration
- Part-time
- 2 months
Start dates & application deadlines
Starts: Future dates to be announced
Language
Delivered
Disciplines
Aerospace Engineering Physics Mechanical Engineering View 3 other Short Courses in Physics in NetherlandsAcademic requirements
We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.
English requirements
We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.
Other requirements
General requirements
- This course is primarily geared towards working professionals. High school physics and mathematics are required. For the optional module on simulation, some basic programming skills are required.
- Admission processAfter enrolling you will receive a confirmation email. In order to complete your admission process you will be asked to email the following document
Tuition Fee
-
International
750 EUR/fullTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 750 EUR for the full programme during 2 months. -
EU/EEA
750 EUR/fullTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 750 EUR for the full programme during 2 months.