Pratt and Whitney welcomes Aerospace Engineering class

On Thursday, January 28, the RHAM Aerospace Engineering class, instructed by Mr. Ruddick, took a field trip to United Technologies company Pratt & Whitney to further their understanding of the engineering profession. The class arrived at the building eager to learn about the assembly, maintenance, function and overall design of the plane engines. The first half of the trip was a tour led by individual contributor, Mr. Bilek around the museum extension of the company which includes jet engines designed to propel military aircraft as well as the evolution from the first airplane to the Boeing plane and its importance to understanding flight technology today. The class was able to actually enter one of the exhibits where the military jet engines are displayed and students had the chance to examine the intricate wiring and blade attachments as well as the physical material that was used to assemble the engine. Designs like the F100 and F117 used for military aircraft were on display. The tour of the museum also included historical overviews of how the engines were first manufactured.

The group then ventured to the Customer Training Center which has personnel from many different international countries. Here, the students were introduced to engineering instructor John Angelotto who delivered a lecture to the class describing the different types of engines, including ones like turbo fan and turbo pro. The group was able to learn about the compression of the air when it first enters the engine as well as the actual aerodynamic structure of the engine's design.

Angelotto then introduced the class to some of the larger engines in Pratt & Whitney which included the A380 and the PW 4000-112. They were led by Mr. Bilek around the exhibit and were able to see how massive these engines are. The hands on experience and information about actual real life working fields was something that the class could apply to what Mr. Ruddick had been teaching them. Overall, the field trip was informative, stimulating and enjoyable for both students and faculty.