Parachute Design – Employment - Recommendation – ME Masters of Science

[Lostinspace 0]

I want to work for a company that designs and manufactures parachutes.

I am a design engineer with <5 years of experience. I have begun work on my M/S in Mechanical Engineering.

Can anyone recommend a program of study within Mechanical engineering that would be advantageous to gaining employment with an American Canopy manufacturer; i.e. Fluid Mechanics?
Would you recommend a M.S. in mechanical engineering at all?
Would earning a rigger certification help?

Thank you,
Belinda

[gerrcoin 0]

Mechanical Eng probably wouldn't be as useful as something directly related to Aerospace, eg. Aeronautical Engineering, if you really want to get into parachute manufacturing. Aero has a lot in common with Mechanical engineering and translates fairly easily in a work environment. The same cannot be said going from a Mechanical eng background to an Aerospace based company. The Mech eng discipline just does not have enough basic flight theory to compensate. Finish your MSci and maybe consider another post-graduate course or even a PhD in some Aerospace discipline.
If you are serious about following this career path, I would write to the major parachute manufacturers (PD especially) and simply state your intentions and ask for their advice.

[masterrig 1]

John Sherman of Jump shack (Racer, harness-container) holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering...
It never hurts to ask. Contact some of the manufacturers of parachute equipment and see what they say.

Chuck

[riggerrob 558]

Definitely earn a rigger's rating and sew a few miles.
You will never understand the parachute manufacturing business until you have sewn a few miles.

[gerrcoin 0]

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John Sherman of Jump shack (Racer, harness-container) holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering...

Yes, but for actual canopy design some fundamental knowledge of flight and aerodynamics would be essential.
That's an idea though. He could start off in container design and move up to canopy design over time.
I would also suggest proposing a thesis on parachute systems, something based on the equipment anyway, to your supervisor. That would let you get some practical research done in an area your are interested in, and will look pretty good on a cv to a parachute manufacturer.

[riggerrob 558]

That's an idea though. He could start off in container design and move up to canopy design over time.

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I have observed that designers are good with containers or canopies, but very few are good at both.

For example, Sandy Reid is brilliant at designing containers, but freely admits that "I am not a canopy man."
Bill Booth is bloody brilliant at designing containers, but I have never seen a canopy that he has designed.
Manley Butler is brilliant at designing round canopies, but his containers look clunky.
Jyro is brilliant at designing (the Icarus line of) canopies and cutting tables but I have never seen any containers designed by him.
John Sherman is one of the few who is good at both.
Mike Fury is one of the few who is good at both, and is good at simplifying production.