Department of Aeronautics

Antecedent Departments

Aerodynamics (1955–1960)
Thermodynamics (1955–1960)
Aeronautics (1960–Present)

Department Heads 1956–1960 Lt Col Gerhardt C. Clementson (Aero) 1956–1960 Col Paul H. Dane (Thermo) 1960–1961 Col Clementson 1961–1962 Col Bernard W. Marschner 1962–1965 Lt Col Gage H. Crocker 1965–1966 Lt Col Orlando J. Manci, Jr. 1966–1967 Lt Col Blaine R. Butler, Jr. 1967–1973 Col Daniel H. Daley 1973–1974 Col John P. Thomas 1974–1980 Col Daley 1980–1981 Col Richard F. Felton 1981–1984 Col Daley 1984–1985 Lt Col Richard C. Oliver 1985–1986 Lt Col Richard C. Oliver 1986–1994 Col Michael L. Smith 1994–1995 Col Randall J. Stiles 1995–2000 Col Smith 2000–2004 Col D. Neal Barlow 2004–2005 Col Steven C. Pluntze 2005–2008 Dr Aaron R. Byerley 2008–2013 Col Barlow 2013–2014 Dr Russell M. Cummings 2014–2015 Col Barlow 2015–2016 Col Angela W. Suplisson 2016–2018 Col John D. Cinnamon 2018– Lt Col Barrett T. McCann		Permanent Professors Dan Daley Mike Smith Neal Barlow John Cinnamon

The Department Today:

The Department of Aeronautics supports cadets, the Air Force, and the world through a variety of studies in aerodynamics, flight mechanics, propulsion, aircraft structures, and experimental methods. Every cadet receives an introduction to aircraft design, fluid mechanics, airfoil and wing aerodynamics, aircraft performance, and stability and control. Cadets majoring in Aeronautical Engineering have two course design sequences to choose from—aircraft design or aircraft engine design.

Curriculum:

The department offers 23 courses in Aeronautical Engineering.
    Core Course:  Aero Engr 315. Fundamentals of Aeronautics
    Majors:  Aeronautical Engineering
         Systems Engineering (Interdisciplinary)

Noteworthy:

Since its inception, the department has been a major contributor to technological developments and the security of the United States through aerospace studies. This is enabled through the Aeronautics Research Center, the High-Performance Computing Research Center, and the USAFA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Center. The department’s Aeronautics Laboratory is demonstrably the best-equipped such facility in all of academia, with wind tunnels ranging from low-speed to Mach-6 hypersonic, operational turbojet engines, and a rocket test cell. These centers provide very meaningful research experiences for cadets and faculty through projects supporting customers in the Air Force, Department of Defense, other government agencies, and commercial partners.