Job Description: Loads Engineer – Flight Test & Certification Support
Location: DFW
Job Type: Full-Time
Responsibilities:
● Support the development of aircraft loads analyses for Aerolane’s towing system certification and flight test programs.
● Work closely with Structures Engineers, Flight Test Engineers, Certification Engineers, and Designated Engineering Representatives (DERs) to generate loads substantiation required for certification activities.
● Develop and analyze maneuver, gust, landing, towing, towline, ground handling, and emergency load cases, including aircraft structural loads, towing system loads, and towline loads, using analytical methods and engineering tools.
● Support the development and refinement of loads models for aircraft structures, towing systems, towlines, attachment hardware, and associated interfaces.
● Analyze aircraft structural loads, towline loads, towing system loads, and load transfer paths throughout the towing operational envelope.
● Support the characterization and validation of towing loads through analytical methods, simulation, ground testing, and flight test correlation activities.
● Assist in the development of loads methodologies and approaches that support certification, structural substantiation, and operational envelope expansion.
● Support flight test planning activities by defining instrumentation requirements, identifying key loads measurements, and assisting with test objective development.
● Analyze flight test and ground test data to characterize aircraft structural response, towing loads, and operational behavior.
● Correlate analytical predictions with measured test data and update loads models accordingly.
● Prepare loads reports, engineering calculations, compliance documentation, and certification evidence packages for DER and FAA review.
● Support the development of compliance matrices, means-of-compliance documentation, and certification substantiation packages.
● Provide loads inputs to structural substantiation activities, including stress analysis, fatigue assessments, damage tolerance evaluations, and margin-of-safety calculations.
● Participate in technical reviews, design reviews, certification meetings, and flight test readiness reviews.
● Work with multidisciplinary engineering teams to investigate technical issues, support root-cause analysis, and develop engineering solutions.
● Contribute to the development of engineering processes, analysis methods, and best practices supporting Aerolane’s current and future certification programs.
Qualifications:
● Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
● 3-8 years of experience in aircraft loads analysis, structures, flight test engineering, certification engineering, or a
related aerospace field.
● Experience performing aircraft loads analyses and developing engineering substantiation for aerospace applications.
● Familiarity with aircraft structures, flight loads, structural mechanics, and aircraft certification principles.
● Experience developing or analyzing maneuver, gust, landing, or external load cases is preferred.
● Experience supporting flight test activities or analyzing flight test data is desirable.
● Familiarity with FAA certification processes, Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) programs, or aircraft modification programs is desirable.
● Experience with finite element analysis (FEA), loads development, structural substantiation, or stress analysis is preferred.
● Ability to work effectively with DERs, certification engineers, flight test teams, and structures engineers.
● Experience preparing engineering reports, certification documentation, and technical substantiation packages is desirable.
● Familiarity with towing operations, external load systems, or novel aircraft concepts is highly desirable.
● Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills.
● Self-motivated with the ability to execute technical tasks and deliver high-quality engineering work in a fast-paced development environment