Frequently Asked Aerospace Interview Questions
Q – 1 What are the disadvantages of being in aerospace industry?
Ans- The biggest disadvantage is that it is a relatively small field, and the number of companies in the field is getting smaller (lots of mergers between big companies in the news lately).
In addition, this used to be a field where America had 90% of the market, but now foreign companies are catching up; this means that American companies are streamlining their organizations in order to be competitive.
Q – 2 What interests and abilities would help some one as an Aerospace engineer?
Ans- Successful aerospace engineers need lots of curiosity, problem-solving skills, organizational skills, written and oral communication skills, people skills (as in leading and participating in teams) and computer skills. There are no physical requirements; in fact, we have many engineers with disabilities and it is not an issue for their job performance
Q – 3 How important are Aeronautical Engineers to todays society?
Ans- Aeronautical Engineers the aircraft people use for business and holidaying would not be in the sky, it cannot be contested that society depends heavily on travel via aircraft.
Aeronautical Engineer will provide the solution to increase overall aircraft efficiency, thereby helping to drive down the levels of emissions current aircraft produce.
Aeronautical Engineers also help put the satellites in to space, the satellites we rely on for weather information, geospatial-mapping data, environmental monitoring, telecommunications, and research.
Therefore, in answer to the question I feel aerospace engineering plays a major role in society, producing and developing a lot of the technology we rely on heavily.
Q – 4 How many types of emergency landings are there and explain?
Ans- There are three types of emergency landings like:
* Forced landing:
This is a situation where Air Craft engine fails and Pilot is forced to land the plane in the nearest airport.
* Precautionary landing:
This is used when Pilot faces a problem due to severe weather conditions, or being lost in the air space traffic or due to lack of fuel or expecting an engine trouble.
* Ditching:
This is when where Pilot cannot avoid this situation but to just land on water, which is safer than air bound.
Q – 5 How important is to get the passengers switch off the mobile phones and laptops during land off. What could be the consequences?
Ans- It is very important to check if laptop and mobile phones are switched off or not, as the consequences can be, bad….because interference of aircraft communication devices and electronic devices interfere with each other and there could be chances of not proper landing. Therefore, it is highly recommended electronic and communication devices should be switched off during take off and landing.
Q – 6 How would you handle the extreme pressure during emergency if you know that plane is not safe and it might crash anytime?
Ans- Few professions demand you to be selfless, and our respective clients would be the most important thing, that is why customer service differs completely in such fields compared to other streams. For example, Doctors, Lawyers, Pilots…these are the professions where employee saving your customer is the up most important thing.
Therefore, as a Pilot we should understand our duties and responsibilities and will ensure that whatever panic situation we could be in, we will continue to deliver our duties until the end and ensure passengers are safe all times. Simultaneously I will own the full responsibility of landing the Air Craft safe and in the steady position.
Q – 7 Can you miss the clearance limit and loose the commands from the Air Craft Officer?
Ans- Yes, there is a policy and procedure to be followed for the missing clearance limit problem, so a Pilot can leave and reach a different altitude for sometime within the limit and should come back to the proper clearance limit once things are in control. This time limit is only as per the procedure in the manual.
Q – 8 You are about to take off the plane in few seconds and a catastrophic engine fails, and your captain tells you not to take off and just stay in the center line. What would you do?
Ans- Once the take off procedure has started, it is no longer safe to stop the plane from take off. Instead, it is better to continue with the take off and its best handled in the air. All certified aircraft under 25 can run without an engine and there is no problem related to it for take off or to for plane landing.
It is actually far better idea to handle the problem in the air than to face the situation on the runway, when plane engine is in high speed.
Q – 9 Without Air Traffic Control, what is the minimum descent rate you can descend the plane?
Ans- A Pilot can descend up to 500” bare minimum, without informing the ATC (Air Traffic Controller) and this is only during an exceptional cases. However, it is always better to be in regular touch with the Air Traffic Controller and to keep him informed about the descent rate. This will not have any traffic problems during landing in the runway.
Q – 10 When a pilot is assigned a speed, how much can one deviate from that speed?
Ans- Complying and following the actual speed adjustment policies, a pilot can run and indicate plus or minus 10 knots or 0.02 Mach number of specified speed. It is always better to keep the land air officer in the loop before adjusting the air speed. Exceptions are always there to meet the emergency requirement.
Q – 11 Are you prepared for unexpected turbulence?
Ans- Yes, given the proper training…am confident that I will be able to handle the turbulence and will drive the plane in the correct altitude.
Q – 12 What if you loose the medical round or interview for your pilot position?
Ans- One should always have a career back up plan, incase if your medical examination results are not positive, you could get into training department for pilots, or you could pursue your interests from your previous experience or education.
Q – 13 When can one deviate from any flight rules and regulations?
Ans- Chief Pilot in command can deviate from rules and regulations during emergency period; he can do it to get the plane back to the normalcy or to meet the expected requirement of the emergency.
Q – 14 What would you do if your Captain were not following the instructions properly?
Ans- Refer to your plane manual, discuss the same with your client, and ensure you make him understand the procedures and rules. If he does not respond, you will call your concerned aircraft officer at the airport, escalate, and make sure your voice frequency is recorded.
Q – 15 How would you handle if your co-worker were not co-operating with you?
Ans- Talk to your co-worker directly and explain him that you are having a problem working with him and make him understand the situation, if he is not willing to listen or not co-operating, then direct the issue to chief pilot.
Q – 16 What is the testing done in aerospace engineering?
Ans- The testing of small rocket engines and entails development by researching on aerospace. They are responsible to perform and experiment on laboratory facility, which is dedicated to aerospace. One should be capable of solving problems by applying knowledge by solving problem of the research done.
They will be working with technical team of researchers and they should have ability handle projects alone.
Q – 17 Explain about stress analysis?
Ans- People working on these areas as an aerospace engineer should have familiarity and exposure to NASTRAN and MATLAB with knowledge on space environment and modeling of flexible dynamics. These aerospace engineers will be responsible to conduct stress analysis on metallic and composite structures.
NASTRAN, IDEAD, Oracle, and PATRAN proficiency level is required. Their duties also include on aircraft, which are metallic and composite structures. This includes and understanding of control surface stiffness and loop calculations, finite element modeling (FEM), fatigue testing requirement and analysis.
Q – 18 What will be the responsibility of the spacecraft operations, dynamics, and controls?
Ans- People working on these areas as aerospace engineers should have familiarity and exposure to NASTRAN and MATLAB with knowledge on space environment and modeling of flexible dynamics.
These aerospace engineers will be responsible to work in the areas of structural control, momentum control, line of sight (LOS), spacecraft mission design, control of space boards payloads, operational engineering.
Q – 19 What do you understand by Aerodynamics/performance analysis?
Ans- Aerodynamics / performance analysis in military programs include responsibility like analyzing aerodynamics impacts which effects from external modifications, developing mission profiles based on requirements from the customer, performance data of the mission which includes take off and landing details, en route and mission data performance.
Analyze the configurations using the dynamics, which are fluid and computational. Additional task may include support for wind tunnel planning for test flight. Documentation, test support, data analysis should be done on regular basis. Co ordination of aerodynamics with multi discipline teams and data should be provided for support flight management system or mission planning software.
Q – 20 Does the knowledge of mathematics of Science is required to get into aerospace engineering?
Ans- The basic understanding of Math is important, as it is not used at all the time during the course of aerospace engineering. One should have a basic understanding of mathematical definitions and knowledge on computers is very important as the computer programs will help in doing simple calculations and verify the results are reasonable.
However, on the science front it is very important to have a very good understanding on various subjects like dynamics and mechanics in physics, strong emphasis on chemistry, electromagnetism.
For a good engineer one should know how law of forces makes things happen. In addition, if you are good at physical sciences when opposed to life sciences like biology you will be a fit candidate for aerospace engineering.
Q – 21 Explain the differences between Aeronautical Engineering and astronautical engineering
Ans- Aeronautical engineering deals with vehicles which operates in the atmosphere
Aeronautical engineering deals with vehicles operating in space.
Aeronautical engineering works on tunnel tests, analyzing flight test data, manned space flights, planning future space missions, spacecraft operations, designing and testing robotic systems, developing new propulsion system, computing optimum flight trajectories, developing communication systems for distance space probes and designing new rockets.
Astronautical engineer includes designing power systems for spacecraft structure, developing communications systems for distant space probes, developing hardware skills for operations in spacecraft, designing and testing robotic systems, developing new propulsion systems and computing optimum flight.
Q – 22 Explain the day-to-day responsibilities of Aerospace engineering
Ans- Each job profile even in aerospace industry differs from others. Mainly in aerospace, there are two branches or field. One is aeronautical and other is astronautical engineering.
Q – 23 What is the requirement to become a Professional Engineer (PE) in the field of Aerospace?
Ans- Professional Engineer license is required for people who aspire to go in as officially approved engineer. The design specification is done by self-employed people or working in small business. General aerospace engineers work for government or for big companies and hence few people are not very keen on becoming PE’s.
To become a PE one has to pass an exam on fundamentals of engineering which takes alot of hours to gruel and work under a licensed PE for about four years. In addition, they have to grow through a principle and practice of engineering exam, which requires about 8 hours.
Q – 24 What are the main areas in Aviation?
Ans- * Artificial intelligence
* Aircrafts and parts
* Advanced materials, composites and specialty metals
* Computers, electronic components, and systems
* Fighters and attack aircraft
* Government defense policies and goals
* Lasers
* Navigation controls and guidance systems
* Ordinance and Military vehicles
* Computers, electronic components, and systems
* Aviation electronic/Avionics
* Robotics
* Satellites
* Search and detection equipments
* Strategic defensive initiative
* Sensors and instrumentation
* Ships
* Space vehicles and commercialization of space
Q – 25 What are the three tactical elements of electronic warfare?
Ans- Electronic warfare has three main elements:
ES – Electronic support – This has high passive acquisition intelligence about friend and foe
EA – Electronic attack – that has passive and active denial of RF spectrum
EP – Electronic protection protects friendly personnel and assets by active and passive techniques.
Q – 26 What is SPICE? Where was it developed?
Ans- The full form of SPICE is Simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis. This is the widely used analog simulator, which was developed at electronics research lab of California University.