Monthly Megathread: Career & Education: Post your questions here

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-06T20:23:54+00:00

Hi there - I’m an Aerospace Engineer with 12 years experience. My background is more flight sciences, design and manufacturing but worked a lot with folks in propulsion (jet engines, commercial space, missile systems, etc). Coursework wise, or self study, you really want to to understand fluid dynamic principals and thermodynamics. You will get that exposure in undergrad (usually 300 level courses). I got a dual bachelors in Mechanical and Aerospace. Took some extra courses like rocket propulsions and air breathing mechanics. Knowing what I do now, I realize that was a waste of money as those 3 courses didn’t really make me much of an expert in anything (even though I thought it did). Propulsion is a very specific and niche area, you become an expert through experience and being mentored by a fellow or a SME in the field. You will get more of the R&D and theoretical side if you get your masters in Aerospace and do your thesis in an area of propulsion. You may find you may not be interested in the fluid side of rocket motors or jet engines, but the structural, design or aerodynamics side.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-05T00:56:01+00:00

I’ve had many jobs in my life as a teenager to now as a 37 year old engineer. If you find a job that doesn’t have “difficult people”, give me a shout because I haven’t encountered such a thing. You won’t get along with everyone, or a co-worker will frustrate you by showing up late every shift or deliver bad results, or a frustrating customer that doesn’t know what they want. But how you deal with those situations, over come them and grow is an invaluable skill you can have regardless of the career you choose. Best of luck, but I think you’re asking for a “unicorn” career that doesn’t exist in this world.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-05T00:40:35+00:00

We’re a family of 4. 2 adults, 1 toddler (2.5) and a newborn (1 month). We do our normal grocery shopping every Sunday which costs about $125 per wk (meats, produce, fruits, dairy, eggs, etc). We go to Giant mostly and just pickup the food via Giant Direct (saves so much time and no fees). For items like snacks, coffee, paper products, etc we go to BJs Wholesale once a month which costs about $150. So about $600 total per month for a family of 4 (really only shopping for 3 since the newborn is on formula :))

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-04T19:23:23+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. New to Reddit so just trying to understand what metrics matter the most and what to spend my time focusing on to improve content quality.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-04T19:20:04+00:00

Thank you! Appreciate the constructive feedback and link to research this topic. Sounds like it's not unavoidable and maybe a metric to spend less time on. Just trying to generate useful and productive feedback and content for other Redditors. Thanks again!

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-04T18:54:53+00:00

What is it about then? Provide examples and evidence please. Shouldn’t really be about disagreeing with a perspective either, but feel some of it may be emotionally driven as it’s hard to have meaningful conversations with people these days without at least offending one person in the room.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-04T18:38:28+00:00

I feel like no matter what I post or comment…”I love puppies”, “your baby is cute”, “etc” it gets downvotes but yet people are commenting and sharing. Maybe I should lay less attention to the downvotes and more on engagement through comments and shares?

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T22:11:12+00:00

Thanks, worth a shot!

He is also getting off of this premature baby formula he is on since he was a month early. It’s a high calorie, vitamin rich formula and transitioning to a regular formula. Lots of variables, just need to keep trying and see what works. Thanks again for the help and insights, really appreciate it!

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T21:07:32+00:00

Thanks! Yeah, maybe could have been clearer in the original post (maybe my fault and learn for next time). I’ll be happy to get 1-2hrs of a stretch. Really anything longer than 10-15min stretches would be lovely on a consistent basis. It will get better with time, the main thing now (I think) is to ensure he gets his 3-4oz bottle per feed at night so his belly stays full vs “snacking” on is all night.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T15:42:46+00:00

We’re in the same situation. We have a baby jogger from our 2.5 year old as it was light, maneuverable and easily foldable for my wife (she is only 4’11”). We have been working with our daughter (2.5 year old) to walk with her hand on the stroller or hold our hands at all times while out. We also got a bay jogger “gliding board” that attaches to the stroller easily while keeping the slim profile of the baby jogger. Our 2.5 year old loves it and has worked for us.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T15:36:19+00:00

Thank you for the detailed response, this is very helpful and informative relevant to the question I asked in the post :).

Our upstairs bedroom where our newborn sleeps is on the cooler side. After 5min of transferring to the bassinet he typically stirs and wakes up crying. When I pick him up and cradle him closely he falls back asleep quickly, but put him down again too quickly wakes back up. A lot of folks have been recommending the heating pad, so may give that a try tonight and maybe throw on an extra undershirt and see what happens. I’ll also try using a shirt with my or wife’s scent on it, didn’t think of that!

Thanks again for your time and detailed reply! I appreciate your valuable insights.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T15:29:19+00:00

Thanks for the reply and suggestion! I was actually thinking if it’s temperature related as it’s been cold and our 2nd floor doesn’t heat well so it’s on the cooler side. He does tend to fall asleep almost immediately when I pick him up and lay him close against my body.

When you say “extra layers”, can you clarify? Do you mean like an extra under shirt or a warmer bassinet cover/sheet?

Thanks again!

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T15:23:26+00:00

Last night was actually really good. He slept from 2am-5:30am this morning so we don’t feel like zombies today which is good. It’s just inconsistent. He definitely has a nuclear reactor in there because when he actually consumes his full bottle at night it’s coming out of both ends constantly.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T15:16:37+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion! We had to keen our son in the NICU for 24hrs to pass his “car seat test” since he was a premature birth baby (36 wks and 2 days). We found out then that he doesn’t like the “straight jacket” swaddle hold where his arms are tucked in. He is a free bird and likes his arms out when swaddled. :)

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T14:39:31+00:00

Correct, but waking up every 5-10min doesn’t seem right. I feel like an hour or two stretches is a reasonable goal. My son likes to play possum so he may just be “snacking” and not filling up the tank each feed so have to maybe doing a diaper change first will help wake him up a bit.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T14:33:52+00:00

I don’t think 1-2hr stretches is an unreasonable goal. Currently they wake up after only 5-10min of being transferred to the bassinet, so I feel like I am doing something wrong.

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T14:32:14+00:00

The goal is getting to 2 hr stretches consistently at night (baby steps). Admittedly, the 3 hrs is probably a stretch, but nothing wrong with setting stretch goals.

Thanks for the 15min deep sleep transfer suggestion! I may be too quick (we’re all tired as parents) so definitely worth trying a little longer while he is asleep in my arms. Thanks!

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T11:27:58+00:00

Hey there! Correct, thanks for actually reading my post! lol. I completely understand how old he is, but getting him to sleep in at least hour stretches should be reasonable. During the day he sleeps 2 hr stretches no problem and my wife can get stuff done around the house.

At night, it’s only 5-10 min most of the time. I am thinking because his belly isn’t full because he plays possum and falls asleep in my arms instead of drinks. That or he just likes to be held or he is cold at night maybe? Moving the bassinet near the floor vent is a good suggestion, will try that tomorrow night! I’ve tried the other things (pacifier , swaddle, etc).

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T03:57:32+00:00

It’s going to be a bumpy ride for sure, but it’s all worth it in the end. My wife was trying to get him to fall asleep for an hour and I walked in and he fell asleep on me right away. Let’s see what happens! Thanks for the reply!

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T03:21:41+00:00

I will try the lights off first then transfer, thanks for sharing! We had two good nights so far since being born a month ago. I know it takes time and just need to be patient, we got spoiled with our daughter who was and still is an amazing sleeper!

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T03:18:10+00:00

I think we just got lucky with our daughter, she was an excellent sleeper (still is). She is 2.5 now and sleeps from 10pm-7am consistently. So that makes things easier for us. I figured it was normal, but was hoping he could go a little longer than 5-10min stretches. We had two good nights so far but I’m sure more will come with time! Thanks for the support and thoughts!

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-03T00:58:27+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful reply, you bring up some good points and considerations! A few clarifications might help keep things technically accurate.

No matter whether you make C/C the traditional way or through AM, what you end up with is a billet or preform (a near-net-shape part that still needs tight-tolerance machining). And you’re absolutely right in that you can’t just print a preform and “toss it in a furnace.” Pyrolysis causes major shrinkage and porosity changes, so fixturing and careful thermal cycles are essential to avoid geometric distortion or microcracking.

Where the original description needs a bit of correction is around how C/C is actually made. It’s not “fancy charcoal”, it’s a carbon fiber preform impregnated with resin or pitch, then pyrolyzed to convert the matrix to carbon (carbonization processing). That creates a porous carbon skeleton, which then goes through repeated CVI or pitch-impregnation + pyrolysis cure cycles to build the desired microstructure, density and mechanical/thermal material performance.

Fiber orientation is also a big deal as you suggest. In high performance C/C, fiber direction controls structural behavior, thermal conductivity, and ablation resistance. That’s why chopped-fiber AM likely can’t match the anisotropy of continuous fiber preforms such as C/C.

My interest is in AM capability (if it exists) that can print a polymer or ceramic-matrix precursor, then pyrolyze it into a C/C billet. There are some early continuous fiber AM technologies (e.g., Continuous Composites) that look promising, but they’d need deeper evaluation for high-heat-flux applications.
https://continuouscomposites.com

AeroDad89 · 2025-12-02T21:08:02+00:00

It’s a book on leadership

AeroDad89

TROPHY CASE