Last Tuesday, a few future engineers got to test their hands at Airbus Helicopters Inc.           
Five mechanical engineering majors at the senior level from Mississippi State University worked on their Capstone project from the sponsorship of Airbus Helicopters. They are researching and developing possible developments for heat abatement in the EC-145 helicopter’s engines. At the beginning of the semester, these students received a run down of the project, a layout of the aircraft, an overview of the design process, project parameters and a plant tour. 
Some students, such as Tyler Abell of Biloxi, Miss., plan to return to the plant and had great appreciation for the experience and opportunity to be able to work towards their capstone projects.
“This has given me insight into how helicopters are built and how engineers go about testing and the research process involved. I’ve also learned a lot about problem solving,” Abell said. 
Airbus invited these students in to learn from the experts. Part of their research utilizes thermal imaging. Michael Boccella from FLIR as well as Ed Hooks from Lockheed Martin attended. 
FLIR specializes in thermal imaging and provides the cameras used in the U.S. Army – such as the S&S 72-A Lakota, or a militarized version of the commercial EC-145.
Boccella demonstrated the FLIR camera’s thermal imaging capabilities.
Students were also able to utilize the cameras to check the heating dynamics of the aircraft.
Michael Gardiner, Chief Engineer of Airbus Helicopters Inc., said Airbus’s purpose for sponsoring this Capstone project is to introduce students to the engineering field of vertical take offs and landings.
“We hope to encourage them to explore this field further and consider a career in it,” Gardiner said.
Andree Leclair, from Grenada, Mississippi, said the project gave him insight into the business side of engineering.
Airbus Helicopters partners closely with Mississippi State University, and providing grant money for this Capstone project is just one of the ways it does this. The company’s CEO, Marc Paganini, serves on the board of the Bagley College of Engineering. The company has also created the Airbus Helicopters Inc. Professorship in Aerospace Engineering and has hosted numerous co-op interns.