This Is Engineering Day: Why Engineering Matters Now And Forever

#ThisisEngineeringDay #EngineerTheFuture

On the 3rd November 2021, the world welcomed This Is Engineering Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the work of the engineers around us. We decided to mark the day – as did the Royal Aeronautical Society and countless other aviation organisations – by taking a moment to recognise and reflect upon the difference that engineers in all sectors and industry’s make to our lives, to the world, and to our own mission at British School of Aviation.

This year’s This Is Engineering Day has coincided with the beginning of COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which is being hosted by the UK in Glasgow, Scotland. The conference has bought 190 world leaders to one venue to determine new initiatives for the year 2050 which intend to tackle the climate crisis. Our ability to materialise COP26’s agreed ambition to create a net-zero world by 2050 will largely depend on the research and innovative ideas of engineers. In conclusion, our future lives will be determined by engineering.

To mark This Is Engineering Day, the Royal Academy of Engineering commissioned a digital artist to re-imagine classic paintings in the style of Van Gough and Monet to show how engineering innovations could shape our lives over the next 30 years, informed by the expert insight of some of the UK’s leading engineers.

Visit the Museum of Engineering Innovation’s digital exhibition HERE.

This Is Engineering Day has given British School of Aviation a chance to determine the impact that engineering has had on our society. Of course, we have decided to turn our attention towards the work of licensed mechanical and avionic aircraft engineers. Not only are aircraft engineers crucial to maintaining the current day-to-day functions of an airline, but they are also imperative in guiding us towards a sustainable and climate-efficient future. After all, engineering is an integral part of building the infrastructure required to actualise our net-zero visions.

The future of aircraft engineering globally can take many forms. At British School of Aviation, we have become inspired by the conversations taking place at COP26, which speculate what engineering advances need to take place in order for us to achieve our ambitions of a net-zero world with reduced carbon emissions.  However, the present importance of aerospace engineering should not be overlooked. Licensed aircraft engineers are essential in safeguarding the crew and passengers of an airline.

In the future, the public will still need to travel. As a result, aircrafts will always require thorough maintenance. Due to this reason, whilst the form and infrastructure of an aircraft may change in order to fulfill our need to tackle the climate crisis; aircrafts will continue to be a component of our lives.

Our industry-leading engineering instructors are in consensus that their career’s are extremely fulfilling and rewarding due to the satisfaction they receive from knowing that because of their work, an aircraft can fly safely.

Aerospace engineering is still, and will always be, a viable career choice regardless of the transitioning status of our planet because flight safety standards will always be of paramount importance. Nevertheless, it is now vital to harness the power of engineering to build a sustainable society. Aerospace engineers are heavily involved with the development and testing procedures of electrical aircraft, aerial vehicles, and sustainable aviation fuels. Research and innovation within engineering can help revolutionise our lives and the way we use transport, alongside our understanding of astronomy or meteorology.

Overall, This Is Engineering Day has reminded us that the technical skills and creativity that aeronautical engineering depends on is crucial to maintaining the flight routes that the modern world relies upon. Additionally, This Is Engineering Day has highlighted the fact that aircraft engineering helps quantify and mitigate disasters, and combat potential the hazards that an aircraft may be susceptible to. In conclusion, engineering is essential to creating a more efficient, prosperous, and healthy future for ourselves and our descendants.

If like us, you are fascinated by flight, aerospace, and are deeply curious about how new technologies can explore ways in which we can revolutionise travel, then take This Is Engineering Day as a chance to think about a future career in aircraft engineering, and the opportunities to help society through innovation that it will present.

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Melissa Fleur Afshar

Content and Media Manager at British School of Aviation