The Aerospace Engineering Department
of the United States Naval Academy
Aero Track Course Descriptions
Third Class Year Second Class Year First Class Year
EA203 Principles of Aerospace Engineering I (2-2-3) First course of a two-course sequence covering the fundamentals of aerospace engineering. Topics in the sequence include the earth's atmosphere, the space environment, aerospace structures, atmospheric flight, space flight, attitude dynamics, propulsion, and communications. Knowledge of spreadsheet, calculator, and computer programming fundamentals are developed. This sequence prepares beginning aerospace engineering students for further studies and develops sound engineering practices. Prerequisites: SM122 or SM162.
EA204 Principles of Aerospace Engineering II (2-2-3) Second course of a two-course sequence covering the fundamentals of aerospace engineering. See EA203 for the topics covered. Prerequisites: EA203 or approval of department chair.
EA301 Aerodynamics (3-0-3) Covers essentials of fluid mechanics and topics in aerodynamics including potential flow and thin airfoil theory. Prerequisites: EA202 or EA205 and SM221.
EA303 Wind Tunnel (1-2-2) A laboratory course in wind tunnel test techniques. Co-requisite: EA301.
EA304 Aerodynamics II (3-0-3) Discussion of lifting surface theories. Introduction to viscous flow and boundary layer. External compressible flow concepts; Mach and shockwaves, small perturbation and linearized flow methods are introduced. Prerequisite: EA301.
EA308 Engineering Analysis (1-2-2) Applications of numerical theory and analysis to relevant engineering problems is the focus of this course. Topics include: solutions of systems of nonlinear equations, iteration techniques, nonlinear root-solvers, numerical integration and differentiation, and curve-fitting techniques. Applications are used to develop the tools necessary to solve realistic problems. Co-requisite: SM212.
EM321 Mechanics and Materials for Aerospace Engineers (3-2-4) A first course in materials and mechanics. Topics include: Aerospace material properties; treatments; manufacturing and fabrication processes including jointing; design and selection considerations, including durability repairability maintainability, corrosion and protective treatments; fatigue and creep phenomena; basic elasticity; simple structural element behavior for rods, beams, shafts and plates. Laboratory work and demonstrations are intergrated to show the relevance of the topics and to give practical insight to the behavior of aerospace structural materials and structures. Prerequisite: EM211.
EA322 Structural Mechanics for Aerospace Engineers (3-2-4) A second course, following EM321, in the analysis and synthesis of air and space vehicle structures. Topics include further study of axial loading, torsion, bending, and transverse loading; design for strength; internal force determination for plane and space structures using statics and matrix methods; displacement of structural systems using differential equation and strain energy methods; statically determinate and indeterminate structures using compatability and strain energy; wind bending and shear analysis; semi-monocoque open and closed structures; multi-cellular sections; and introductory composite structure analysis. Laboratory work and demonstrations are integrated to show the relevance of the topics and to give a practical insight to the behavior of aerospace structures. Prerequisites: EM321.
EA332 Gas Dynamics (2-2-3) Compressible flow of one-dimensional subsonic flows. Methods of gas dynamics in internal flow systems. Shock waves, waves in supersonic flow, linearized flows. Prerequisites: EA301, EM319.
EA401 Applied Aero and Design (3-0-3) The basic principles for lift and drag calculations are extended to entire flight vehicle analysis. Static and dynamic point performance analysis. Introduction to energy methods with selected optimum climb and trajectory problems. Mission analysis and carpet plots leading to design selection criteria. Prerequisite: EA304.
EA413 Stability and Control (3-0-3) The aerodynamic and inertial forces and moments acting on the flight vehicle and its component parts are analyzed to determine their effect on static and dynamic stability. Prerequisite: EA301.
EA421 Aerospace Structures II (3-0-3) Introduction to the finite element methods of structural analysis as applied to atmospheric flight and space flight vehicles. Topics include formulation of the element stiffness matrices, assembly of the global structural matrix, formulation of equivalent loads, energy methods and matrix equation solution methods. A design project using a finite element computer program is carried out. Prerequisite: EA322.
EA424 Structural Dynamics (3-0-3) An introductory course in structural dynamics as applied to atmospheric flight and space flight vehicles. Topics include the analysis of free, damped and forced vibrations of single and multi-degrees of freedom systems, continuum vibrations of strings, beams and rectangular plates, matrix formulation of equations of motion, introduction to the finite element method of structural dynamic analysis. Prerequisite: EA322.
EA425 Viscous Flow (3-0-3) An advanced course covering viscous flow problems including laminar, turbulent, incompressible and compressible boundary layers with heat transfer. Prerequisite: EA304.
EA427 Aerodynamics III (3-0-3) An advanced course continuing the study of compressible high-speed flow including general conservation laws for the inviscid flows, unsteady flow problems, numerical techniques for supersonic flows and real gas effects. Prerequisite: EA304.
EA428 Computational Aerodynamics (3-0-3) Introduction to the major numerical techniques used in computational aerodynamics. Topics include mathematical methods, boundary conditions, stability, panel methods, lattice methods, nonlinear problems, time dependent solutions and transonic flow problems. Prerequisite: EA304.
EA429 Flight Propulsion (2-2-3) The principles of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics are specialized to the problem of propulsion of aircraft. Prerequisite: EA332.
EA430 Propulsion II (3-0-3) The second propulsion course covers turbo-machinery theory including compressors, turbines, pumps, application and design methods. Combustion and cooling techniques in modern engines are introduced. Prerequisite: EA429.
EA435 The Aerodynamics of V/STOL Aircraft (3-0-3) An advanced course covering the aerodynamics of vertical and short takeoff and landing aircraft, including fixed wing and rotary wing types, with major emphasis on the helicopter. Prerequisite: 1/c Aero track.
EA439 Special Aircraft Design (1-4-3) This course, along with EA440, provides a two-semester sequence in aerospace design for selected midshipmen. Prerequisite: 1/C standing in aerospace engineering.
EA440 Aerospace Vehicle Design (1-4-3) The preliminary design of a flight vehicle. Includes preliminary layout, weight and balance estimates, performance analysis, stability analysis and structural analysis. Prerequisite: 1/C standing in aerospace engineering, Aero track.
EA482 Aerospace Seminar (1-0-1) A series of discussions or lectures on special or current aerospace engineering topics. Prerequisite: 1/C standing in aerospace engineering.