# Aeronautical Engineering + RMC



## etou (26 Sep 2020)

Hey Guys,
I was wondering if you know what it’s like to be an aerospace engineer in the armed forces. Also, the training at RMC
I am plus a field guy, I LOVE testing things, less managing (still OK, but I hate maintenance), and I love everything there is about space, space crafts, airplanes. Right now, I'm studying to be a Mechanical Engineering Technicien at a CEGEP in Quebec, I like to get my hands dirty.
Will I be “too old” at the RMC? I will be 21 when I enter university, because of equivalences and stuff I am doing to get to Aerospace Engineering programs in Quebec (Polytechnique and Concordia) and I would love to do it in the military because we learn so many things besides aerospace engineering (I am a lifeguard, Canadian Ski Patrol Instructor, FIRST FRC robotics mentor, inspector) I love to do so many things that are not related (Mechanical engineering and lifeguards are not in the same field )
So, is the job more of a desk job, or, what does it look like, do you know ?
And, also, other question, will I be able to continue my Ski Patrol "hobby" during RMC (yearly 16 hours of requal + exams)

Thanks !


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## Mirin (26 Sep 2020)

AERE is all about management.  Project management, personnel administration, maintenance, etc.  Sorry man.  If you want to do the actual work, go NCM.


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## etou (27 Sep 2020)

Isn't there any research and dev department ?
Yes, there will always be management in an engineer job, and project management, but isn't there a department where we innovate (like the US air force research and dev) ?, and not just maintain (like in the videos they show us)


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## Good2Golf (27 Sep 2020)

The CAF/RCAF doesn’t have direct equivalents to DARPA/AFRL, per se. Any major advanced technology development (such as it is...more niche innovation, not pan-domain Aerospace/Space...think Camadarm than the whole Shuttle, etc.) happens in industry.


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## Mirin (27 Sep 2020)

See the response to a similar question here:  https://army.ca/forums/threads/17133/post-1510015.html#msg1510015

Yes, these establishments exist.  The reality is you won't exclusively be doing that for your entire career.  Expect a significant amount of management with little-to-no hands-on with everything that you do.  It's a sad truth that a lot of officers have to face.


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## Good2Golf (27 Sep 2020)

Mirin said:
			
		

> See the response to a similar question here:  https://army.ca/forums/threads/17133/post-1510015.html#msg1510015
> 
> Yes, these establishments exist.  The reality is you won't exclusively be doing that for your entire career.  Expect a significant amount of management with little-to-no hands-on with everything that you do.  It's a sad truth that a lot of officers have to face.



Are you equating AETE, ATESS, DGAEPM, etc. with AFRL? ???   About the closest Canada has to Wright-Patt is NRC FRL.


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## Mirin (27 Sep 2020)

The reply is for OP who I suspect is looking for at least the most technically minded postings for engineers.  These are the closest they'll get to technical engineering work without being a civilian.

Oh and OP, I'm a former officer turned public servant.  Being in the PS is by far the better way to do what you're looking for.


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## Good2Golf (27 Sep 2020)

Mirin said:
			
		

> The reply is for OP who I suspect is looking for at least the most technically minded postings for engineers.  These are the closest they'll get to technical engineering work without being a civilian.



Seen.  I thought there was an equivalent being made with military advanced aerospace development. 

Cheers
G2G


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## shane306 (23 Mar 2021)

etou said:


> Isn't there any research and dev department ?
> Yes, there will always be management in an engineer job, and project management, but isn't there a department where we innovate (like the US air force research and dev) ?, and not just maintain (like in the videos they show us)


I disagree with these comments. The DRDC space research section does the same sort of research and development other organizations do however on a much smaller scale, but in coordination with CSA, and US research centres. For the most part the section only does surveillance of space research with our research satellite, ground-based optical research, and machine learning space applications research but there are many DRDC sections that conduct other types of research. There is very few AERE positions that do this sort of work compared to the vast amount of nontechnical positions but they do exist, you need to push for them and look into them yourself.

For the most part I am lucky compared to conventional AERE postings, and dont do much conventional paperwork and admin type work and the job is centered around conducting independent projects and writing research papers, and presenting them at conferences. Once a paper is presented a new project is chosen.

For R&D, DRDC and NRC both have military attachments that conduct research. There is also AETE and QETE however that is more engineering that research.

If you are interested in hands-on and space stuff, the Canadian Space operations center (CANSpOC) within the military has a large quantity of AEREs doing orbital analysis.


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