Abstract
This article describes the development of a new design course in the Aerospace Engineering curriculum at the University of Missouri-Rolla offered during the second (sophomore) year. The course is designed to offer learning opportunities that apply the fundamentals of design along with hands-on experience. The students are required to analyse and solve open-ended design problems, test and experiment with different concepts, build models that illustrate what they have proposed in the analysis phase, and use engineering process skills such as teamwork and development of technical reports. An emphasis is placed on the connection between theory and design applications, comparisons of analytical work with test results, reporting, and working with peers. Details of the course content, organization, and guidelines to develop small aircraft models along with the testing hardware needed are given.
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