110 Years of Course Evolution in Aerospace Engineering
A look back in time at the first aeronautic course offerings and how they have evolved
The University of Michigan Department of Aerospace Engineering has come a long way since its inception over 110 years ago. The department has played a significant role in shaping the future of aviation and aerospace engineering, beginning in 1914 and growing to offer the comprehensive set of courses it has today. Reflecting on the rapidly changing landscape and technology of the industry, the department looks back on 110 years of innovation and excellence and how this evolution is reflected in the departmental course offerings.
The nation’s first collegiate aeronautics program began to take shape at the University of Michigan in 1914, just 11 years after Orville Wright successfully completed the first powered aircraft flight at Kitty Hawk. That year, the university established its first course in aeronautics, with seven students in attendance and led by Professor Felix W. Pawlowski. The two-hour Theory of Aviation class was the first aeronautical engineering course taught in the United States, and Professor Pawlowski would put into motion the beginning of a long-lasting legacy that would evolve into the University of Michigan’s Department of Aerospace Engineering.
After seeing the popularity of aeronautics grow throughout the country and within academia, additional courses at the university were added for the 1915-16 school year, Propulsion of Aeroplanes and Aeroplane Design, with 16 students enrolled. The first set of courses were organized as a group of electives in the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, and only junior and senior engineering students were eligible. Then, in 1916-17, a complete four-year program was established and in May of 1917, a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering was created and the department was renamed Department of Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering and Aeronautics.
Some of the first courses to be offered toward the bachelor’s degree included: General Aeronautics, Theory and Design of Propellers, Aerodynamic Laboratory, Design of Aeronautical Motors, Theory and Design of Balloons and Dirigibles, Theory and Design of Kites, Design of Aerodromes and Hangars, and Advanced Stability. Of the various aeronautical courses first offered, only the first six were required as a minimum requirement for students towards a degree in aeronautical engineering, while the remaining courses were offered as electives to meet the needs of senior and graduate students.
Jumping forward, it was not until 1930 that the Aeronautical Engineering Department was established as a separate entity at the university and the name would later be changed to what we now know as the Department of Aerospace Engineering. As the years went on, courses were being incorporated into the curriculum to match the growing industry needs, preparing students for a variety of new and exciting career opportunities.
By the end of World War II, the department and the world started to see a shift from the types of airplanes conceived by the Wright Brothers to turbojet and rocket-powered aircraft, and for the first time began the reach towards supersonic flight. Michigan seized on many of these opportunities, beginning to offer courses in guided missiles and nuclear energy for aircraft propulsion.
In 1946-47 four graduate courses were offered dealing with the dynamical and random response of instruments, wind tunnel and flight test instrumentation, automatic control, and engineering applications of the electronic differential analyzer. During this time, courses were added focusing on Internal Combustion Engines, the Design of Aircraft Engines, Elementary Vibration and Flutter, Advanced Fluid Mechanics, and more to meet the growing demand and continued advancements of the industry. This led to additional courses in the 1950’s being organized in the areas of nonlinear systems, advanced feedback control, and radio telemetry.
Other courses developed in this stretch included studies in Gas Dynamics, Combustion, Structural Mechanics, Dynamics and Control, Aerospace System Designs and a new group featuring Computational Fluid Dynamics. Notably, courses surrounding airplane design continued to expand to meet the changing technological demands.
As the space race escalated and the United States started to take the lead in the new era of aircraft design, courses continued to evolve, now incorporating content surrounding Aircraft Propulsion and Thermodynamics. With the achievement of landing on the moon in the sixties, the excitement of supersonic transportation escalated further, even in academia. With the interest in rockets and space increasing, students were excited about the upcoming possibilities and the department began shifting towards this new, exciting future. Inspired by U-M’s many graduates going on to be astronauts, students became increasingly interested in being involved in rocket development, and U-M students and alumni had their hands on various aspects of the space missions of the 60’s.
In 1964, the department was responsible for roughly 23 courses with a total of 2,731 degrees in aeronautical engineering granted (1,884 bachelor’s, 782 master’s, 28 professional, and 37 doctoral). The curriculum continued to be modified to keep in step with the fast-changing developments in the aeronautical and aerospace industries. The Aerodynamics Laboratory was a key strength for the department alongside courses revolving around the study of Boundary Layer Turbulence and Information and Control Engineering. Additionally, the Propulsion Laboratory was growing in popularity as well as the High Altitude Engineering Laboratory and studies in Structural Mechanics and Aeroelasticity.
As the years progressed, research surrounding aerospace increased as the United States continued to put a greater emphasis on landing on the moon and space missions continued to take place. Many U-M alumni were at the leading edge of these missions, everything from the Apollo missions to SkyLab encapsulated graduates from the University of Michigan. These advancements and achievements solidified the need to continue advancing the aerospace education curriculum, leading to a larger variety of courses being offered.
With the growing courses, research and student body, the decision was made in 1986 to begin efforts for a new Aerospace Engineering Complex to house new lab facilities and classrooms to meet the growing demand. In 1989, the department was offered a remarkable gift of $5 million from the François-Xavier Bagnoud Foundation to help finance the building.
The department has certainly come a long way since the early days of airplane discovery. With over 90 courses now available between undergraduate and graduate students, including everything from introductory courses in the Aerospace Enterprise and Gas Dynamics to Flight Software Systems and Rocket Propulsion. While many of the courses that are offered today hold roots in the early years of the department’s history, the evolution that has taken place over the past 110 years has been unprecedented.
In 1914 when Felix Pawlowski stood in a classroom of seven students attending the first Theory of Aviation course, he was setting in motion some of the greatest achievements and advancements of the coming 110 years.
Some facts and reporting featured in this article are sourced from previously published work, including Anecdotal History of the First 50 Years and Anecdotal History of the First 75 Years.