Research and Projects-Based Courses to Validate Practical Engineering Solution Techniques

Many courses in engineering education are based on teaching the undergraduate student how to solve engineering problems without including the knowledge of what they are solving or why they are using a particular technique.Professors sometimes propose a computer solution or technique the student does not understand; therefore, the student cannot evaluate the accuracy of the results.Without knowledge of the boundary conditions or required assumptions, the student will not fully comprehend or be able to apply the technique to real world problems after graduation.Many of the major university engineering programs familiar to the authors have reduced the student design experience from an entire vehicle to only designing a small component of the overall product.The students may then use one solution routine for the component without having knowledge of the "best" solution for the entire product.Without being exposed to a variety of solution techniques and product integration, the student may not choose an appropriate solution.Instructors in these programs are giving the students the how, without instilling the knowledge of what or why.To connect the how, what, and why of engineering problem solution, a three-course series of practical aircraft performance and design has been developed.Each course is one semester in duration and must be accomplished in sequence to meet maximum student learning objectives.The first course establishes practical aerodynamic and aircraft performance knowledge that fills the student toolbox with the basic techniques to analyze aircraft parameters across a wide range of operating conditions.The next two courses make up the senior capstone aircraft design sequence.In the preliminary design course, the students are given aircraft performance specifications and must utilize current design methodology to completely design an aircraft.In the detail design course to follow, the same students take the aircraft design and begin the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) process.A model of the aircraft is tested in the wind tunnel, modified, and re-tested to verify the effectiveness of the proposed changes.Feedback from students and industry evaluators overwhelmingly support this aircraft research and projects-based process for enhanced student comprehension and retention.