Track Control & Operations MSc Programme Aerospace Engineering Faculty of Aerospace Engineering TU Delft is home to one of the leading academic programmes in aerospace engineering and technology in all of Europe. The Master s programme prepares students to respond effectively and rapidly to the needs in the aerospace sector with solutions that are innovative and technically feasible and commercially viable. The programme has a distinctly international focus. You develop basic competencies acquired in your premaster education to a higher level in terms of knowledge, critical reflection, making judgments and independent working. In your study you have access to state-of-the-art test and laboratory facilities to educate you the engineering skills that you can directly use in advanced industrial applications with little additional training. Central to our philosophy is the view that specialisation is necessary to achieve the higher levels. You therefore concentrate on a specific field of expertise in Aerospace Engineering, the track, and learn to develop as an independently-thinking, professionally-oriented, innovative engineer and researcher. The Master s programme in Aerospace Engineering offers five tracks: Aerodynamics & Wind Energy; Flight Performance & Propulsion; Control & Operations; Space Flight, and Aerospace Structures & Materials. Our program provides a fundamental background in modern flight control, human-machine systems, air traffic management systems, noise and climate effects, safety and air transport operations research. Our program provides a fundamental background in modern flight control, human-machine systems, air traffic management systems, noise and climate effects, safety and air transport operations research. MSc Structure Your programme moves from the acquisition of subject knowledge to its application to individual research or expert design projects. The gradual specialisation, from the study of general subjects on core courses to more specialised ones on profile courses, culminates with specific thesis work in one of the research profiles.
This ensures that you follow a well-balanced and coherent programme. The MSc has a common outline for all tracks: each comprises core, profile and elective courses, a literature study, an internship and the MSc thesis. The core courses enable you to develop a broad view of its theme, essential for all sub-disciplines, the profiles, within it. The profile courses are essential for the particular subfield and enable you to develop a thorough and detailed knowledge of it. The elective courses provide flexibility to specialise in a particular area of expertise or to add multidisciplinary elements, repair educational deficiencies or address a personal interest. Students can fill part of the elective space by taking courses abroad. The literature study is a preparatory research assignment directly related to the subsequent thesis subject; its aim is to impart specialist theoretical knowledge and so help the student to achieve maximum depth when they come to write the thesis. In the three-month internship at Dutch or international institutes or industries you acquire professional skills that are different from those taught in the classroom. Besides the assignment set by the host company you get assignments about the engineering profession and personal reflection on your performance on the placement. The MSc concludes with the MSc thesis, an in-depth research or expert design assignment in the specific field of expertise chosen by the student. In preparing this, you become an independent researcher receptive to lifelong learning. The MSc track Control & Operations is supported by three Sections, each having its own distinct profile. Profile I, Control and Simulation (C&S), strives to improve the safety of aerospace operations through the design and experimental evaluation of automatic flight control systems, human-machine systems, sense & avoid and air traffic management systems. Profile II, Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects (ANCE), studies the environmental impact of aviation through developing accurate models for the prediction of aircraft noise, emissions and climate effects. Profile III, Air Transport Operations (ATO), studies the efficiency and safety of aerospace operations through quantitative engineering and agent-based models that predict and optimize indicators such as capacity, cost and safety. The C&O core course program provides a fundamental background in operations research, avionics systems, flight control and automation. The student joins a Section and follows the profile courses associated with that, and 3 to 4 additional elective courses which are chosen after consulting with the responsible Section head. After completing the required course program and the internship, the student performs the literature survey associated with their thesis. The literature survey and final thesis project are performed with the same supervisor, working on a specific project of current relevance to the field. Students are encouraged to contact prospective supervisors early, as they can aid in the selection of elective courses. All C&O students do a literature study and submit a research paper prior to graduation. Double degree Flight Dynamics & Control and Avionics TU Delft (Netherlands) and Instituto Superior Técnico (IST, Portugal) This Double Degree programme is an international profile programme of the Master track Control and Operations, for students in Profile I (Control and Simulation). Students who have successfully completed the full curriculum (132 ECTS) will receive 2 diplomas. The programme is completely taught in English. For more details contact professor Mulder (m.mulder@tudelft.nl) Profiles In the following, the research areas of the three Profiles are summarized. For more information, please consult our web sites listed on the back page of the folder, or make an appointment with one of the responsible professors. Core Courses ( 18 EC) No choice Profile Courses ( 13 EC) No choice Elective Courses +/- 15 EC Choice of courses in consultation with Track Coordinator Literature Study (12 EC) Research Methodologies (2 EC) 18 EC Internship 42 EC MSc Thesis project MSc track overview Aerospace Engineering.
Profile 1 Control and Simulation (C&S) The Section Control and Simulation has three knowledge clusters that each focus on a distinct element of modern aerospace systems. It fosters the Micro-Air Vehicle laboratory, MAV-lab, which studies Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the research flight simulator SIMONA and the CESSNA CITATION laboratory aircraft. In these laboratories many of the theoretical innovations are experimentally tested in real or simulated flight. Aerospace Guidance, Control and Navigation focuses on the development of new generations of flight control systems, with superior performance and the ability to compensate automatically for technical faults. Topics include: Nonlinear dynamics, optimization and control Adaptive and reconfigurable flight control Helicopter flight dynamics and handling qualities State estimation and distributed control Vision-based autonomous operations Aerospace Human-Machine Systems aims at supporting the human operator in manual and supervisory control tasks, through developing innovative human-machine interfaces and clever automation tools. Topics include: Cybernetic pilot perception and control models Haptic control systems, bio-dynamics Flight simulators and pilot training Ecological interfaces and cognitive systems Cockpit and air traffic control interfaces Communication, Navigation & Surveillance in Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) studies the sensors and systems enabling flight operations and Air Traffic Management (ATM), through simulating air traffic and designing novel equipment and algorithms. Topics include: Autonomous operations with Airborne Separation Assistance Systems Sense and avoid systems in the cockpit, on the ground and for UAVs Data-mining and big data applications, e.g., ADS-B Complexity of traffic patterns and traffic flows Scientific foundations of air traffic management and trajectory planning
Profile II Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects (ANCE) Aircraft noise continues to be a very serious source of disturbance to the public. Also, the current contribution of aircraft emissions to global warming is estimated to lie in between 1.5 and 5.5%, but is predicted to increase significantly. In addition, the level of scientific understanding of the climate effects of aviation is low. The vision of ANCE is that for the growth of aviation (5 % per year) to be sustainable with a decreasing impact on the environment, more accurate modelling of the impact due to noise and emissions is required. Aircraft noise For aircraft noise, the modelling chain comprises the acoustic source, that is the aircraft, via the propagation medium, that is the atmosphere, to the final noise impact as perceived on the ground. Research topics include: Weather-dependent noise contour modelling, fully accounting for the temperature and wind speed gradients in the atmosphere; Detailed aircraft noise source modelling, both considering the engines and airframe, also for the assessment of new aircraft technologies; Acoustic camera imaging for noise source identification on aircraft and in more fundamental aero-acoustic research in wind tunnels. The aircraft noise research is carried out in close cooperation with NLR and DLR. Studies of the effects of aircraft emissions on climate change Here the approach is to use models capable of assessing the aviation induced climate effects by calculating the contribution of the individual climate agents (CO2, NOx, contrails, O3). This enables the assessment of the effectiveness of mitigation measures such as changing flight settings or supersonic flying. This research is executed in close cooperation with DLR.
Profile III Air Transport Operations (ATO) The Section Air Transport Operations has two knowledge clusters: Air Transport Performance Optimization, and Air Traffic Management Safety. Air Transport Performance Optimisation focuses on the multidisciplinary modelling and optimization of key air transport performance criteria such as operational efficiency, capacity, and cost. The two main research themes are: Aircraft Performance Optimisation: the optimisation of trajectories, flight plans, efficient operations and airport ground movements. This theme focuses on investigating detailed influencing parameters that need to be optimally incorporated into flight planning. Airline Performance Optimisation: this includes operational and maintenance expertise. Operational fields of interest include the optimisation of networks, fleet configuration, fuel economy, and scheduling. Maintenance includes RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Supportability) expertise in general and subthemes such as: reliability modelling, efficient maintenance process analysis and logistics optimisation. Air Traffic Management (ATM) Safety focuses on the socio-technical and safety-critical aspects of air transport. Although the potential number of fatalities in air traffic is low, the more demanding aspect of it is the highly-distributed nature of its agents, including crew and air traffic control. This implies network of interactions between many human and technical systems which pose complementary challenges to safety risk analysis. The basic approaches used are agent-based modelling and analysis of socio-technical systems, including: Safety/capacity analysis of advanced ATM concepts of operations; Improving resilience of commercial aviation to disturbances; Agent-based modelling of the impact of human coordination on air transport system performance. This research is executed in close cooperation with NLR.
Testimonial Profile I - Control and Simulation, By Emmanuel Sunil, MSc. (2014) Looking back, my decision to study the MSc profile Control and Simulation at TU Delft was definitely the right choice! The curriculum is challenging and well structured, offering students the possibility of specializing in their topic of interest, or studying a broader range of subjects. In fact, the profile has a rich research pedigree, and during the courses I was exposed to the state-of-the-art in the fields of advanced control theory, human pilot modeling, flight simulation and the design of novel human-machine interfaces. The highly-qualified scientific and teaching staff are well known in their respective fields, but at the same time are easily approachable. In addition to building team work skills through numerous group assignments, the MSc thesis gives students the chance to perform an individual research project at a high level. During the thesis, students are given excellent guidance from expert Emmanuel Sunil (India) supervisors and are also given the freedom to use the numerous facilities available, which includes two flight simulators and a laboratory aircraft (amongst others). I feel confident that the MSc programme at Control and Simulation has provided me with the necessary skills needed to pursue a successful professional career in the future. Testimonial Profile II - Aircraft Noise, Emissions and Climate Effects, By Maarten de Raad, MSc. (2014) My thesis research about aircraft noise during the final approach phase covered many disciples. I applied new theories to analyze noise and executed noise measurements at Schiphol Airport. The section provided good guidance and offered a lot of personal attention. Still there is plenty of room for own ideas and to take on opportunities to work with external parties such as the NLR. Also many aerospace disciples come together in the ANCE research field, which really fascinates me. Overall I m glad that I choose this section to perform my graduation research. Maarten de Raad (The Netherlands) Testimonial Profile III - Air Transport Operations, By V.S. Viswanath Dhanisetty I am currently a student at TU Delft Aerospace on the Masters track: ATO (Air Transport Operation). One of the reasons I chose to study here is because of the international student mix, connections to worldwide experts, and a wide array of opportunities. I am an Indian, but I ve lived the majority of my life in foreign countries, and I feel perfectly comfortable in this faculty! While studying ATO, I took opportunities that I never would have or even thought of taking. For instance, I was the first TU Delft student to do an internship in Albania for an airline called Belle Air. It ended up being one of the most exciting parts of extending my studies in ATO into the real world, putting my engineering education to the test! Going to Albania was something I never even considered, but that s the type Masters Viswanath Dhanisetty (India) track ATO is! It presents students with great opportunities based on the fundamentals of air transport theory, and if you are eager enough to go for it, you just might end up having one of the best learning experiences of your life! Currently, I m doing my thesis research based at the university but collecting data and knowledge in order to develop new methods and reliability models relevant to the challenges faced in aviation, cargo, and transport in general. The thesis focuses on understanding and synthesising efficient reliability engineering science, in order to come up with a new generic method with supporting tools that can insure optimal levels of operational reliability. Quite a mouthful! I feel privileged to be able to work in such different environments, it only helps me to broaden my mind and apply the knowledge I have learnt in TU Delft! TU Delft Aerospace offers many Masters tracks that are all great. Still, choosing ATO for me was the best academic decision I ve made.
Academic Staff The full professors leading the C&O section, and the C&O Master track coordinator are presented below. Professor dr.ir. J.M. (Jacco) Hoekstra Expertise: Control and Simulation (C&S) Role: Full professor Professor dr.ir. M. (Max) Mulder Expertise: Control and Simulation (C&S) Role: Full professor, head of the section C&S Professor dr. D.G. (Dick) Simons Expertise: Aircraft Noise, Emissions and Climate Effects (ANCE) Role: Full professor, head of the section ANCE Professor dr.ir. H.A.P. (Henk) Blom Expertise: Air Transport and Operations (ATO) Role: Full professor (part-time, with NLR) Professor dr.ir. R. (Ricky) Curran Expertise: Air Transport and Operations (ATO) Role: Full professor, head of the section ATO Dr.ir. C. (Clark) Borst Expertise: Control and Simulation (C&S) Role: Assistant professor, MSc track coordinator C&O Job perspective The job perspectives for C&O students continue to be extremely bright, and many students have several job offers before they graduate. The versatile character of the MSC track leads to high-quality graduates with a great variety of where they start their societal career. Examples are large multinational industries (Boeing, Airbus/EADS, Eurocopter, BMW, Mercedes, Shell, ASML, AirFrance/KLM, to name just a few), established research laboratories (NLR, DLR, Eurocontrol, Max Planck, NASA ), consultancy and finance (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, ING, Deutsche Bank ). A considerable number of students go and work directly in air transport, entering air traffic control, or even become pilots. Finally, a significant number of our students enter academic life and become a PhD student at high-ranking universities (TU Delft, TU/e, Stanford, MIT, ) Research programmes and internships The research programmes are identical to the three profiles summarized above, for more information contact the professors or consult the three Section s web sites. Most of the C&O students do their internships abroad at major international companies (e.g., BMW, Boeing, Airbus, Nissan) or research laboratories (NASA, Max Planck, DLR). About half of the C&O internships are organized by the section at which the student has enrolled, using the personal network of the responsible professors. The internship is not necessarily aligned to the C&O knowledge base. On the contrary, students are free to search for an internship themselves, using their own network or with help from the Faculty s internship coordinator, Mrs. Verdegaal. Internships can be done on all subjects of interest, as long as they have an academic component.
Admission Requirements More information Entrants should hold one of the following: A Dutch BSc degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Maritime Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Physics & Astronomy. A BSc degree in Military Systems & Technology of the Netherlands Defense Academy (NLDA) with profile Military Platform Systems accent Aviation Technology, profile Sensor and Weapon Systems accent Weapons, or profile Operations Research (if module Aeronautical Engineering has been successfully completed). A Dutch Professional BEng degree (awarded by a university of applied sciences) in Aeronautics, Aviation, Mechanical Engineering, Maritime Engineering, Civil Engineering, Design & Innovation. This group has to complete a special bridging programme prior to enrolment on the MSc. Note that for the double degree, more strict requirements hold, See: http://www.lr.tudelft.nl/studeren/ masteropleidingen/double-degree-programme. More information on the MSc track Control & Operations can be obtained at: http://www.lr.tudelft.nl/co Alternatively, you can also contact the Master track coordinator: Dr. ir. Clark Borst Email: c.borst@tudelft.nl T +31 15 27 89099 Room number: 0.26 International students are recommended to visit: http://home.tudelft.nl/en/study. All questions regarding international admissions should be directed to our international office: internationaloffice@tudelft.nl International students should hold a good university BSc degree in a subject closely related to Aerospace Engineering with good grades on the key courses, a Bachelor's Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 75% of the scale maximum (unless specific requirements are defined for the country in which you obtained your Bachelor s degree, details available on the TU Delft website), and Proof of English language proficiency (TOEFL overall Band score of at least 90 or an IELTS overall Band score of at least 6.5, or proof that you have passed the University of Cambridge 'Certificate of Proficiency in English' or the University of Cambridge 'Certificate in Advanced English'). Permission for doing research within this track of this Master is partly dependent on a screening under the scheme Exemption Missile and Nuclear Engineering. For more information: http://www.government.nl/issues/education/exemptioncertain-engineering-or-nuclear-related-courses-of-study http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/hoger-onderwijs/ vraag-en-antwoord/waarom-heb-ik-een-ontheffing-nodigvoor-bepaalde-technische-nucleaire-studies.html