Developing and Implementing an Introduction to Aerospace Course at

Montana State Universitypartially funded under Montana NASA Space Grant

Consortium (MSU Grant #4W2598)

Dr. Doug CairnsLysle A. Wood Distinguished ProfessorMechanical and Industrial Engineering

Cairns’ Aerospace Background• Began composites career in 1978 as a Staff Engineer at the University of Wyoming

– Characterization of compression fatigue mechanisms of F18 vertical stabilizer (AS1/3501-6) for Navy

– Hygrothermal characterization of Carbon, Glass, and Kevlar with Hercules 3501-6 for Navy and Army

• Senior Engineer, Hercules Aerospace, Magna UT (designed and analyzed space and aircraft structures manufactured from composite materials)

• Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT, thesis on damage resistance and damage tolerance due to impact damage in carbon/epoxy and kevlar/epoxy structures, research sponsored by FAA

• Manager of Composites Technology, Hercules Materials Company– US largest manufacturer of structural carbon fibers – materials for military and commercial aerospace primary structural applications

• Joined Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Montana State University in 1995, began working on wind turbine blade structures, <$10/lb final part cost target based on aerospace technology

• Teamed with Boeing engineers to develop and implement Aircraft Structures course at MSU • Former Chairman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics - Materials Technical

Committee• Co-Chairman Damage Tolerance Committee NASA/ MIL HDBK 17 Composites• President, Montana Aerospace Development Association (UM Representative is the Vice

President)• Private Pilot Certificate, multiple ratings• FAA Consultant for developing composite materials specifications for General Aviation Aircraft• Industrial Advisory Board Member – MSU Aviation Program

Introductory Background

The Aerospace Minor at Montana State University

Academic and Strategic Needs for an Aerospace Minor at Montana State University (MSU)

• MSU has traditionally been a large supplier of engineers to Boeing in Seattle and other aerospace companies

• Sponsored research from Air Force, NASA, DOE (wind turbine blades), other aerospace • Many ME Students hired by aerospace or aerospace-related companies• Students are already engaged in aerospace internships

– JPL– NASA– MSU SSEL– Edwards Air Force Base– Sandia– etc.

• Montana has reached “critical mass” in its aerospace activities– S&K technologies– Scientific Materials– S2 Corporation– Summit Design and Manufacturing in Helena– Resodyn– MSE in Butte– SPG rocket motors in Butte– etc.

• Governor Schweitzer has stated that aerospace and related technologies will be the leader for a higher tech Montana economy

• MSU has ROTC Aerospace Studies (AFROTC); 21 students, most are engineers• Prospective students and their parents often ask “Do you have an aerospace program?”

Regional Needs for an Aerospace Minor at Montana

State University• Closest Aerospace Engineering at University of

Washington (next closest is CU in Boulder)• MSU has a breadth of faculty with aerospace

expertise• Utah State University has an “Aerospace

Emphasis” in ME, similar to the BREN (Bio-Resources ENgineering) option in CE at MSU

• University of North Dakota has a “Space Studies” MS degree

MSU

Examples of Aerospace

Research In Montana

Resodyn

MSE

S&K Technologies

Summit Aeronautics Group

(Now Boeing Helena)

SPG Butte

A B17 at MSU?

MSU (Montana State College) had its own B17 (also a P51 Mustang) from 1946 to 1952

It was used as a “Teaching Laboratory” in the ME program(This occupied the space which is now Cobleigh Hall)

Goals of the MSU Aerospace Minor

• Provide a framework for giving students an introduction to aerospace (a true minor, not a major; interdisciplinary approach engages a breadth of students)

• Formalize and strengthen what we are already doing, provide a basis for growth

• Use the Aerospace Minor as a recruiting tool• Provide skills for Montana aerospace jobs• Develop a venue for research

collaborations/internships for our students

Progress of Aerospace Minor to Date• Aerospace Minor “survived” 11 levels of approval (through the

Board of Regents)• Went online Fall 2008• Lysle A. Wood Professor (Cairns) is the Certifying Officer for

the Aerospace Minor• Approx. 35 students graduated, approx. 45 enrolled• Consistent criticism at all levels: the elective courses for

the Montana State University Aerospace Minor are relevant to aerospace, but a “cornerstone” course was needed to tie concepts together

• Cairns’ made personal commitment to develop a course entitled Introduction to Aerospace and was funded by the Montana Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) to develop this course (one of Bill Hiscock’s last decisions as Director of the MSGC, partial funding provided by Montana NASA Space Grant Consortium, MSU Grant #4W2598 )

Impetus for the course entitled Introduction to Aerospace

• Aerospace Minor needed a “cornerstone” course

• Course enlightens students to topics relevant to aerospace

• Ties together a group of aerospace expertise at MSU and in Montana

Introduction to Aerospace course background

• Dr. Cairns developed a “survey” of aerospace curricula and faculty involved in aerospace during the summer of 2009 to determine needs for the course

• Cairns contacted his friend, John Anderson, renowned aerospace textbook author, Professor Emeritus of Aero/Astro at University of Maryland; currently Curator of Aerodynamics, National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC

• When queried what textbook would be appropriate for such a course, Anderson replied, “well mine of course.”

Textbook for Aerospace Minor

Introduction to FlightJohn D. Anderson, Jr., University of Maryland--College ParkMcGraw Hill, NY, NYISBN: 0070660824

Copyright year: 2007 (6th Edition, 7th Edition available for 2010)

• Textbook was determined to have most topics, but not all, to support the goal as the Aerospace Minor cornerstone course.• Textbook in common use as an introductory text for aeronautics and astronautics majors throughout the US. • Textbook and course was augmented to address deficiencies to support the MSU Aerospace Minor

Introduction to Aerospace Course Syllabus

Text: Introduction to Flight, 6th Edition, John D. Anderson, Jr., University of Maryland--College ParkMcGraw Hill, NY, NYISBN: 0070660824

Copyright year: 2007 (7th Edition available for 2011)Plus supplemental materials to augment textbook (especially materials and structures)

Class: T, R, 12:45-14:00, RobH 210Instructor: Prof. Doug Cairns 320 Roberts, 994-6050

1 The First Aeronautical Engineers A brief history of aerospace engineering and science; emphasis on 20th Century

progress and achievements

2 Fundamental Thoughts Basic aerospace principles and potential

3 The Standard Atmosphere Atmospheric aerospace vehicles and propulsion

Introduction to Aerospace Course Syllabus (cont.)

4 Basic AerodynamicsLift, Drag, Thrust, Vector Mechanics

5 Airfoils, Wings, and Other Aerodynamics Shapes Basics for heavier than air flight

6 Elements of Airplane Performance Speed, climb, maneuverability, energy management, dynamics

7 Principles of Stability and ControlControl of flight vehicles

8 Space Flight (Astronautics)Introduction to space vehicles and structures

Introduction to Aerospace Course Syllabus (cont.)

9 PropulsionAir breathing and rocket

10 Flight Vehicle Structures and MaterialsConventional and advanced materials; wood, metals, composites

11 Hypersonic VehiclesPotential, challenges, and limitations

12 Design ProjectDesign concepts; small group design problem using aerospace principles presented in class. Introduction and updates will be presented periodically throughout the semester.

Grading (Assessment and Evaluation)Midterm and Final (50%), Project (30%), Homework and class participation (20%). Homework will include applications of aerospace engineering and science.

Course Instruction Level Philosophy

• Many topics; truly an introduction to aerospace course

• Taught at upper level junior, low level senior engineering and physics majors

• Meant to be taken early in the Aerospace Minor program of study to enlighten students with an interest in Aerospace

The Road Map

The Following Slides are Examples of Topics Covered in the Introduction To Aerospace

Course

Historical Perspective

The Earth’s Atmosphere

Sir

Forces Acting On an Airfoil

Coefficient of Lift vs. Angle of Attack

The Drag Polar, Total Aircraft

Subsonic, Sonic, Hypersonic

Rocket Propulsion

Supersonic Nozzle Flow

What Is a Composite Material?What Is a Composite Material?• Two or more materials

combined to perform some useful purpose

• Exhibits the best properties of the individual materials and includes additional qualities that the individual materials do not exhibit alone

Composite Evolution—2000s 787 Material Overview

Carbon laminateCarbon sandwichFiberglassAluminumAluminum/steel/titanium pylon

Spacecraft

The Course Included Multiple Tours; once every few weeks

Dr. Cairns leveraged his association with the aviation and aerospace communities to

supplement the course

The Course Included an Ample Number of Tours

The best view in the Gallatin Valley, the Gallatin Field Control Tower; This 30+ student tour took a lot of work to coordinate with airport security

Getting to Know Various Aircraft

• MSU is fortunate to have a wide variety of aircraft stationed at nearby Gallatin Field

• Important Historical Aircraft– North American F86, the first US production jet fighter– North American F100 the first US production supersonic fighter

(Only seven of these aircraft are “flyable”; four of them are owned by Bob Green at Gallatin Field

– Students have a rare opportunity to compare and contrast these aircraft (same designers and manufacturer, very different end products)

• A variety of aircraft from “tube and rag” through advanced composites were included in tours

Students got to see the “guts” of several conventional aircraft during annual inspections

Students got to crawl around a North American F86

Historical Note: The F86 was our first jet fighter; many famous pilots have listed it as their favorite airplane

Students Got “Up Close and Personal” with a North American F100

Historical Note: The F100 was our first supersonic jet fighter; affectionately know as the “Hun” or sometimes the “Thud”; we compared and contrasted

the F86 and F100 in class

More F100 contact

The Hun Avionics

aka “Steam Gages”

Looking Down the “Business End” (jet exhaust) of an F100

Avionics Now and in the Future

Students survey the latest Glass Cockpit avionics, the left screen includes “synthetic vision” which creates a terrain map with GIS data, flying no longer needs

a window for a pilot (but it is no fun to fly a cartoon)

A Composite Material Diamond Twin Star

Historical Note: The TWIN STAR is a modern composite material aircraft; carbon fiber spars with fiberglass skins. It features two diesel engines with very high fuel efficiency

A Students Feels the Controls of the F100 Super Sabre

Students exercise their “creativity”

Notes on Successful Implementation

• Having the variety of aerospace activities in Montana greatly improves the course beyond the classroom

• Having a qualified instructor is key to developing such a course; breadth of course requires knowledge, experience

• Local aviation and aerospace businesses donated their time with great enthusiasm for the students

Introduction to Aerospace Course – Now and for the Future

• The course is being implemented as a permanent course EMEC 378 Introduction to Aerospace– Permanent course incorporates student comments and

evaluations– EMEC is a Mechanical Engineering course number (the home of

the Aerospace Minor at MSU)– 3XX level is indicative of a Junior level; students are encouraged

to take the course as soon as they have completed the pre-requisite courses

• The course will be taught every Fall Semester• The student cap on the course is 20

– Cap to provide quality instruction and tour management– Cap will be re-visited if there is student demand to warrant it

• The EMEC Introduction to Aerospace Course is now a REQUIRED Course for the MSU Aerospace Minor

Catalog Description(40 Word Limit imposed by MSU Registrar)

EMEC 378 Introduction to Aerospace

This is an introductory course on topics relevant to aerospace engineering and science. It is required for the Aerospace Minor at MSU. Topics include history, atmospheric and space vehicles, propulsion, flight vehicle performance, materials and structures, and stability and control.

Acknowledgements• This course was funded by the Montana

Space Grant Consortium under Consortium and NASA EPSCoR funding (MSU Grant 4W2598)

• Dr. William Hiscock approved full funding of this course development as one of his last acts as MSGC Director; Bill’s enthusiastic support of this and all things related to aerospace at Montana State University are without parallel