PROFESSIONAL

INTERVIEW

Sarah Haid
1A POE
10/12/2012

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Nick Kaluza
Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering at A&M
Triumph Aero-structures Vought Aircraft Division
Nick.kaluza@gmail.com
(979) 450-0287

PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW
Please describe your engineering field.
In his engineering field (Aerospace) is generally divided into 4
major disciplines:
1. Aerodynamics
2. Structure/Materials
3. Dynamics and Control
4. Propulsion

AERODYNAMICS
Deals with aerodynamic design, modeling and simulation,
wind tunnel testing, as well as stability and control
You are trying to meet performance requirements with the
highest aerodynamic ef ficiency

STRUCTURES/MATERIALS
(This is what he does)
Deals with ef ficient structural design and material selection
The goal is to produce high stif fness/weigh or high strength to
weight.
Everything is sized to minimum weigh, very thin, and very
highly stressed for weight ef ficiency.

DYNAMICS AND CONTROL

Deal with controlling the orientation and direction of flight of
your aircraft
There are certain performance characteristics that you will
want your aircraft to have, and some that you don t.

PROPULSION
Deal with jet/prop/turbo -prop propulsion
Tasks include designing engines that meet required
performance characteristics, or selecting engines that meet
the requirements of their aircraft.

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING CONT.

What is your current job title?
Current job title is Stress Engineer 3, or Lead Stress Engineer.
Please describe your particular job and duties.
The specific job is to analyze the spars for the loads they will
undergo as the aircraft is subjected to over a 1000 loading
scenarios weight. Also, have to make sure the spar is stif f
enough so that the wing wont have dynamic problems, and
meeting other requirements.
Spar- the main beams inside the wing that primarily carry the
vertical shear load on an aircraft

PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW CONT.

What is your average work schedule?
The average work schedule is very flexible, as far as coming in
any time between six and eight thirty.
8 hours a day
Sometimes there are overtime, but it is flexible and for his
particular job he gets paid for overtime.

PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW CONT.

Starting with high school, describe your educational
background chronologically.
Educational Background:
Math classes up to pre -calculus
Physics
High School Diploma
Computer Engineering (at first)
Switched to General Studies
Switched to Aerospace Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering

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PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW CONT.

If you had it to do over, related to your career or education,
would you do anything dif ferently?
If I had to do it all over again I would not go into college
without any hours because college is a long process and is
such a long shot away from success, and school felt so
stretched out with many dif ficulties.

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PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW CONT.

What advice would you give to me as someone interested in
pursuing a career path similar to yours?
Some Advice:
1. Be as successful as possible (everyone has the potential)
2. Try and knock out all History, English, and other non -degree
related classes
3. Be advised that some classes, such as Engineering Calculus
(at A&M, it's Math 151 , 152, 251 , 252), Chemistry for
engineers (Chem 107), and actual engineering classes (at
A&M, Engr 101 , 102, 211 , 212, 213, 214, 215) can't usually
be credited. However, some of those can be knocked out
during the summer.

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ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Do you feel like success is accomplished day to day?
Its hard to say much accomplishment is given in a days worth,
but I do get satisfaction out of my job day to day. Because the
aircraft takes so long to finish and begin its first flight your
always having something to look forward to. In my eight years
of being an engineer I have worked four dif ferent aircrafts,
which isnt normal. Some people have been working on the
same structure for a decade or so and it still isnt finished, and
sometimes a project will go on for years and be canceled mostly
because of cost.

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ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS CONT.

What do you get out of your job other than money?
Although I like the pay and it is very reasonable and in my
favor, I get a feeling of success that I have the power to create
something so useful and will be used throughout my lifetime.
Everyday I am learning new things because new updates and
fields of knowledge are brought into the business. I know I will
never go without an income focusing on the studies of
engineering.

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ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS CONT.

What do you like most about your job?
The thing I like most about my job is that everything Im getting
back over many years of hard work getting through high school
and college to then start a career Ive dreamed of for so long.

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PERSONAL REFLECTION
What surprised you the most about the interview?
The thing that surprised me the most was how much
knowledge youre receiving through your career path. So
much goes into the discipline you choose. What surprised me
was how much my interviewee was interested in his job and
how much he enjoyed it and I hope I can follow in his
footsteps and be successful while enjoying my job .

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PERSONAL REFLECTION CONT.

What was the most important piece of information that your
learned from the interview?
The most important piece of information was the fact that
there are so many ways you can go into engineering.
Although my interviewee specified in Aerospace, it can relate
back to so many dif ferent subjects of engineering. Our lives
somehow revolve around engineering in every way and its so
important to focus on the fact that no matter how far you go it
will lead in success.

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PERSONAL REFLECTION CONT.

How has this interview influenced your feelings about your
future career?
The interview influenced my feelings about my future career
by listening to what my interviewee had to say. It got me more
in the mood of this is the beginning of a long and adventurous
career towards engineering and growing up to what I will be
doing for the rest of my life. I am so much knowledge filled
and interested in what is in store for me. I am ready to get
started and show myself that I am capable of so many
accomplishments.

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WORKS CITED
http://www.spmprecisionmachining.com/images/customerLogos/ cust_triump
h.png
http://blog.gardentoolcompany.com/wp content/uploads/2010/04/texas -am-ar1.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eKNvzSa4EFc/TUuyR_AttaI/AAAAA
AAAAPI/iBld1d-Qz3A/s1600/Aerospace+engineering.jpg
http://svs.cdn.allstardirectories.com/asd images/aeng/aerospace-engineering-cs.jpg
http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/students/courses/course%20imag
es/16423_lg_structure_l.jpg

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