Aerobloggen

The time came for the year 21 to go on their abroad rotation. It was a while ago I wrote a blog post here, and I assume that you may be wondering what has happened since last time? Well, we have managed to do our last domestic rotation in Trollhättan, we’ve had our last development week which was in the US, we’ve managed to visit quite some sites around the world, examples such as US, UK and the Netherlands, but we’ve also got the chance to visit Farnborough Air show last year. When I think about it, quite a lot has actually happened during the two years at GKN, and after our abroad rotations which ends end of June, we return to Sweden and begin our post-graduate positions.

For my abroad rotation, my bags were packed onboard a direct flight to Münich where I’m to work six months with/at our customer ArianeGroup in Ottobrunn. If you read previous posts from last year, you would know that Jens, a graduate before me, went to Vernon in France on his abroad trip, and when I heard about it I just knew I wanted to go there. So when I got the chance, I gladly took it.

GKN has been a partner with ArianeGroup since the dawn of time (the 80s) and we have been part of every major launcher since then. The last renowned launch you might have heard about was the James Webb Telescope, launched by an Ariane 5. The successor for A5 is the Ariane 6, which is still in development, and for the future, we have the Prometheus project.

So for my abroad rotation, I’ve been involved in precisely that, the Prometheus project, where I’ve had to work with conceptual design on parts of the engine, which has meant a lot of CFD and design iterations. The people here at Ottobrunn are experts within the field of combustion chambers so I’ve situated myself pretty well here. It is a very exiting assignment, and being a space nerd, I feel that I have found the correct spot to be.

Except for working, I am also accompanied here by Elias, who is doing his abroad assignment at GKN Aerospace in Münich, where we are experiencing Bavaria. I really do enjoy hiking so I have forced Elias with me on some trips, pictures are below. To be in Münich is golden, you are very close to some pretty nice destinations. You have Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France and so on very close by but you also have the Alps very near, and of course the food here is not so bad. Golden to say the least.

I could talk longer about my experiences here, but I think this sums it up pretty well. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

Until we meet!

Linköping is a picturesque city located in the south of Sweden. It is known for its beautiful parks, museums, and historical landmarks. However, one of the most fascinating places to visit in Linköping is SAAB, the world-renowned aerospace and defense company.

Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting SAAB in Linköping, where we had the opportunity to witness firsthand the construction of the Gripen fighter jet. It was an unforgettable experience that we would like to share with you in this blog post.

As we entered SAAB’s facility, we were immediately struck by the level of security measures in place. The staff checked my identification and escorted me to a waiting area where we were given a safety briefing. Once the safety briefing was completed, we were allowed to proceed to the factory floor where we saw the impressive assembly line of the Gripen fighter jets.

The assembly line was a marvel of engineering, with machines and tools working in perfect harmony to build these impressive fighter jets. We were amazed to see how the different parts of the jet were put together to form the final product. The workers were all highly skilled, and it was clear that they took great pride in their work.

We were fortunate enough to have a guided tour of the facility by one of SAAB’s engineers, who patiently explained to us the different stages of the production process. From the design and construction of the cockpit to the installation of the engines and weapons systems, every stage of the production process was carefully planned and executed.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Gripen fighter jet is its maneuverability. The jet is designed to be highly agile, making it an ideal aircraft for aerial combat.

Aside from the impressive engineering, the atmosphere at SAAB was friendly and welcoming. The staff was always eager to answer my questions and explain the work they were doing. It was clear that they were passionate about their work and were dedicated to producing high-quality products.

In conclusion, our trip to Linköping and visit to SAAB was a memorable and pleasant experience. Seeing the Gripen fighter jet being built was a fascinating insight into the world of aerospace and defense engineering. We highly recommend a visit to SAAB’s facility for anyone interested in engineering or aviation. Since SAAB is a protected object, we couldn’t take any pictures so here is a nice picture of Arvid and Rasmus enjoying the lovely weather Linköping offered us.

See you soon!

Now finally, there will be a post about space! I’m doing my first rotation in the department for GKN’s space products, Rotors and Nozzle. I’m conducting analyzes linked to the turbines for the second stage

engine Vinci in Ariane 6. GKN develops and produces both turbines, one that pumps oxidizer and one that drives the fuel tank. As a space nerd with a background in space engineering I am extremely pleased to be doing my first rotation within the space department at GKN. My background in space is primarily within space physics, meaning I do not have a lot of knowledge of rockets and turbines from before. Therefore, I started this rotation searching for knowledge and asking my supervisor a lot of questions! I got a taste for rockets already when we had two weeks of internship in the workshop as I followed the production cycle for our nozzle, so I was excited to get started on my rotation. I am a person that easily gets stuck at digging into topics, especially when it’s something that includes space, so I was quickly caught in this interesting subject. I learn new things every day and I’m looking forward to having as much knowledge about turbines, and rockets, as my colleagues.

Time moves quickly and it’s hard to believe that we’ve already been more than a month in our first rotation. During this short time we have accomplished a lot, and there is more to come. Next up is Lego League, see you then!

Hello! Now it’s time to update what I (Rasmus) have been doing (so far) on my first rotation, Quality Systems. I would like to say that our department maintain high quality when it comes to quality issues. We work with everything from the management of OMS (Operational Management System) to analyzing internal and external quality problems. To be able to do this, a lot of data is required, and that’s where I come into the picture. My project is about retrieving data from a number of different databases in order to analyze and illustrate data so that we can follow trends in our data and base our decisions on facts. As I had limited previous experience with databases, many hours have consisted of me learning SQL (Structured Query Language) in order for me to be able to manage all the available data, and trust me, it’s a lot of data. I have also had the opportunity to be apart other initiatives, for example I was involved in a customer audit where GE (General Electric) performed a PPR (Priority Part Review), which was very, very interesting.

That’s all for this time, have a nice weekend!

Time to update what I (Linus) have been doing the last weeks but also some about the group as a whole. My first rotation started at Systems analysis and IP, a department with the future in mind. People at the department work with everything from future flights and propulsion systems to patents and sustainability. A large part of sustainability within aviation sector is to reduce the industry’s impact on, among other things, the climate. That’s where my project came in where I analyzed the company’s direct material use in the form of how much recycled material is/could be used and its origin.

During our rotation, we are not “just” in the department, but you are also part of the Trainee group´s journey. This time we were of on a trip to VANN SPA, Hotel and Conference for some development days with the main focus on ourselves as a group. We got to know each other better and agreed on some group rules for how we should work together. At the same time, we also reviewed results from the Clifton strengthsfinder to see how our personal strengths could be combined in the group for optimal performance. After working hours, we took a dip in the ocean combined with a steaming sauna, the team where well pleased after a dip into the cold (8 °C) water.

See you next time!

Hey everyone!

Last Tuesday the 2021 cohort  invited us to follow them to a study visit at the Skaraborg wing, F7, located in Såtenäs which is a small town just outside of Trollhättan. F7 is a military unit and a very important air base to the Swedish Armed Forces where all Jas 39 Gripen pilots are trained.

The morning at F7 was spent at the workshops where we got an insight into what kind of work is done on the planes after several hours of usage. After lunch we got to learn more about weapons the different planes can be equipped with which was very interesting since this was untouched territory for some of us. Before we driving back to Trollhättan we got to see several Gripen planes land, refuel and then take off again. A very cool experience to say the least!

A huge thank you to the employees at the Skaraborg wing, F7 who arranged this awesome study visit for us. Also, thank you to the 2021 cohort who let us come to the study visit with them. <3

This was all for now. Until next time…