http://www.xanga.com/AeroGo

for high school and college students & others interested in aerospace. There’s always been a number of issues that have hampered a healthy aerospace career environment (particularly the highly up & down/cyclical nature of govt. contracting/airliner biz), but now there are even more factors turning a lot of talented people off from the prospect of an aerospace career.

The long design cycle is one, and competition from computing and internet companies is another. Besides these, there’s another huge looming issue: an aging aero workforce and the potential loss of knowledge as the older generation departs.

Anyway, there’s a huge number of folks who are interested in aerospace, but don’t know how to pursue their interests, whether in engineering or some other area. AeroGo is just a prototype for a more extensive site I’m working on.

Anyone passionate about aerospace/space development would have to agree that it’s essential we get talented people into the field, which is only really going to happen if we improve working conditions and growth opportunities.

One of the things that’s really struck me over the years is how just about every one of my aero classmates (from undergrad and grad school) ended up in the software business. That’s what happened to me too. The inertias are just enormous in aerospace. Software has some unfair advantages when it comes to project velocity (bits are cheaper than titanium), but still, the airplane business does seem to move much slower than necessary.

I think the most exciting development these days is UAVs. Get rid of that fragile power-hungry trouble magnet in the front seat! Novel UAV design is where I’d want to be if I were still in the airplane business.

Even if you’re fortunate enough to NOT see your project cancelled and actually fly, it’ll probably take a long time. Of course, this means folks may get a pretty limited scope of experience in the early years of their career if they stay in the same place.

I used to know a guy who later worked on the X-38 project (real one, not the M2-F2). I felt pretty sorry for him when that was cancelled. It was a perfect example of what’s great and terrible about working for NASA.

Anyway, in case you hadn’t heard, Steve Austin’s job has been outsourced:

Six Million Rupee Man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p4GVEeg1DI&NR=1

As for Steve Austin, he was pretty bitter back when I saw him stumbling around Edwards in the late 80s. He ran through his pension money (hint: one of those bionic legs was hollow), got another bionic refit, and now goes by the nickname Big Dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww

Canard? Isn’t that the little pink thing that hangs in the back of your throat? Those things on the plane are called “wingamajiggies”. We put those on during a game of Truth or Dare. “Smack Dog” said I wouldn’t, and I showed him.