What is an average day like for a project engineer?
January 25, 2007 5:57 PM
Astro Engineer said...
My average day as an aero stability & contorl engineer doing F-15/16 flight test analysis as a 1st Lt:
0730: Arrive at work & go through e-mail/voicemail. Take care of any pressing issues for the boss that day. Check in with the other engineers working any F-15/16 projects & get their status.
0900: Go to a priority meeting where the engineers give status updates & the project managers hash out whose project should be worked on first & by whom.
1000: Run the analysis for the top priority projects of the week. Knock out one project before lunch.
1130: Go to the gym & eat a quick lunch.
1300: Get a call from one of the test pilots asking about a problem with a specific flight test procedure. Work a solution with him & write it up for our bosses.
1430: Get a call for a quick reaction clearance for something the pilots in the field need in 2 days. Get together the team of engineers to knock this out by COB. Run analysis & deconflict the needs with the pilots.
1700: Go home & go play beach volleyball or go to the range & do a trail run/mountain bike/road bike.
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2 comments:
Every job is different. See some of Jason.Avam's comments about being an A-10 engineer in an ALC.
Here's an example from a former "Depot Engineer":
A little background; the depot is sort of like a big, centralized maintenance shop. Most aircraft are designed for a certain lifespan (say 6,000 flight hours), within that, the AF might plan in advance that at the 3,000 hour point, they will go to Depot for overhaul...sort of like an engine rebuild for a car. In addition, A/C may be sent to the depot for major upgrades, or to repair major damage, such as when an F-16 lands "gear-up" - yeah, that causes some damage.
0700 - Arrive at the office. Many of the civilians have been there since 6:00 or 6:30, they work 9 hour days, and get every other Friday off. Check e-mail, etc.
0730 - Work on a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) request. DLA buys everything from toilet seats to nuts and bolts for the DOD. When they are preparing to purchase a part that affects a system you are responsible, they will request your approval. I will check that the part they intend to buy is from a reliable vendor, and that the part will perform the job as required...this can be easy or very hard, depending on what we're talking about.
0930 - Get a call from the actuator shop. They have an actuator manifold that has a hole drilled out of specification and need my approval to use the part. I drive across base to the shop to look at the part. I will have to decide if we can repair the part, use it as is, or scrap it. The shop will pressure me to use it as is because it looks better for them if we do, but I will be responsible if it fails!
1030 - Meet with "Holiday Party" planning committee. No joke, this is the sort of thing that happens in the AF. If you are a LT in AFMC, you WILL get tasked with this!
1130 - Eat lunch at my desk while I read e-mails and work on an on-line acquisition training course.
1230 - Walk across the street to the "TO Library". TOs, or Technical Orders are the owner's manuals for airplanes. As the engineer for the Canopy Actuation system, I, along with an Equipment Specialist (usually an experienced civilian w/o an engineering degree) am responsible for keeping the TO's that relate to that system accurate and up-to-date. I need to verify the TO procedure for removing the canopy actuator because we might change the procedure to avoid a certain problem we've been having.
1300 - Discuss this actuator removal procedure with my lead engineer and my equipment specialist. We agree on the new wording, and the Equipment Specialist prepares the paperwork.
1330 - Get a call from SMSgt Jones from the 119th FW (North Dakota Air National Guard). He has two F-16s that are about to reach the allowable number of flight hours on four of their Leading Edge Flap Actuators. When they reach the limit the planes will be grounded because there are no replacement actuators available in supply. He needs my help.
1345 - I walk over to the next cubicle to talk to the Material Manager, a nice civlian lady with five grandkids. She double checks the supply system. She has some actuators in stock but she needs to save them for A/C that are in theater and also coming due.
1400 - I call the contractor to see when they will have some actuators in stock. It will be about a month. I get their opinion on extending the flight hours past the current limit.
1430 - I meet with my lead engineer, our branch chief and division chief. We decide to grant a 200 hour extension on the actuators to keep the F-16s in the air until replacements are available. This decision is based on the qualification testing data for the actuator, the comments from the contractor and some statistical analysis of the performance history of this actuator.
1530 - I call SMSgt Jones and tell him about the extension. I will type up an official memo, to be signed by our division chief, which will make it official.
1545 - Time to punch out...I drive across base, pick up my roomate, and we start the 40 minute drive up to Powder Mountain to do some night skiing!
Tomorrow will definitely be different....
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