An International Design-Synthesis Exercise in Aerospace Engineering
JA Melkert (TU Delft - System Engineering & Aircraft Design)
A Gibson (External organisation)
SJ Hulshoff (TU Delft - Old organisation Engineering Mechanics)
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Abstract
Aircraft design is becoming more and more an international activity. In an effort to include the
special challenges posed by international projects into engineering education, an international design
exercise involving undergraduate students from two universities was developed and carried out.
This exercise was based on the regular design-synthesis exercise that concludes the Bachelor’s
programme at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft),
Delft, the Netherlands. However, unlike the regular exercise, the international exercise also
required students to overcome communication and organisational challenges posed by working at
universities with differing educational programmes and physical locations. Twelve students, six
from the TU Delft and six from the School of Aeronautical Engineering, Queen’s University of
Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK, were formed into a single design team. Students and staff
met in person in Belfast for an inaugural and interim session and in Delft for the final presentation.
In between, contact was maintained using state-of-the-art communication facilities, including
regular videoconferencing sessions and a special BlackBoard Web site. The limited number of
face-to-face meetings proved very beneficial to encourage students to develop long-distance
communication and organisational skills, which are essential in today’s aerospace industry.