Introduction
Hello readers, my name is Teja Seelam. I was born in a southeastern coastal town in India, where I lived for 21 years before moving to the USA in 2019 to pursue my master’s degree. Throughout my life, I've had diverse educational experiences. I began my early education at a Christian missionary school, where I developed my English-speaking skills. Then attended a Buddhist middle school, where I tackled math problems—both of which later shaped my career interests.
In high school, I chose to major in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, and I fell in love with differential calculus, Newton’s laws of motion, and organic chemistry, respectively. During my free time, I spent hours watching air crash investigations on the Smithsonian Channel and plane spotting at a nearby airport. After completing high school, I was unsure which undergraduate program to choose, given my varied interests. Through my research, I found that Aerospace Engineering would be a perfect fit, allowing me to solve differential equations, apply laws of motion to fluid mechanics, and potentially work on aircraft design.
My undergraduate studies in Aerospace Engineering largely met my expectations, though I faced challenges in understanding aircraft structures and thermodynamics. Aerodynamics particularly intrigued me, as I worked on solving standard atmospheric equations, applying Bernoulli’s principles, and designing convergent-divergent nozzles. One of my best memories from undergrad was working on a project to optimize the angle of the double cone inlet of an SR-71 (Blackbird) ramjet engine using a genetic algorithm. As I was about to pursue a master’s in aerospace engineering and delve into high-speed aerodynamics research, I had the opportunity to work as an Aircraft Maintenance Intern at a flight school for three months. This experience made me realize that I am more of a generalist than an expert and that I excel in daily operations rather than in a high-end research laboratory. Consequently, I decided to pursue Aviation Management at Purdue University and moved to the USA.
Making the shift from Aerospace Engineering to Aviation Management was not easy. I realized that these are two different worlds: one focuses on designing and manufacturing aircraft, while the other deals with operating and maintaining them. I was overwhelmed during my first semester, enrolled in courses ranging from Statistics to international aviation regulations. Adjusting to a new country and the US academic system took a toll on me, resulting in average grades. Learning from this experience, I worked hard and adjusted my approach, leading to significant improvement and a greater appreciation for the challenges I faced. Through my academic courses and external events such as COVID-19 and the Boeing 737 MAX crisis, I understood how aviation is a complex system interconnected by global supply chains and how susceptible it is to worldwide events. This further solidified my commitment to the aviation industry. By the end of my master’s program, I began applying for roles where I could apply my engineering knowledge, analytical skills, and problem-solving abilities. I then had the opportunity to work as a Fleet Performance Specialist at Air Wisconsin Airlines.
Have you ever experienced a flight delay or emergency landing due to maintenance issues? Such situations, while inconvenient, can severely impact flight safety. Problems can range from loose screws on engine cowls to failed cooling fans in the avionics compartment, both of which can have serious consequences. As a Fleet Performance Specialist at a regional airline, my role involves investigating these issues, identifying root causes, and developing corrective action plans to enhance our maintenance program. I collect and analyze technical data daily, identify systemic patterns, and propose feasible solutions to resolve these issues. This role encompasses everything I admired when I was younger—aircraft investigations, numbers, pattern recognition, and connecting the dots. Overall, it keeps me excited as each day presents a new challenge to address.
career options
From my experiences and the path, I have chosen, I've encountered numerous career options that could have been a great fit. Ultimately, it all comes down to what truly excites us, what we excel at, and where we envision our future selves. Following are some of the exciting options in Aviation and Aerospace:
skills
What are the main hard skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
Engineering drawing is fundamental to understanding the schematics of an aircraft or its components. Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is an extension of this, where software is used to design and model aircraft or spacecraft components. Some of the software I occasionally use includes CATIA V5, SolidWorks, and Fusion 360.
These skills play a critical role in the design and simulation of aircraft control systems. I use programming to model mathematical equations, perform iterations, and ultimately optimize designs. MATLAB and Python are widely used in aviation and aerospace, and I apply both in my work.
Aircraft generate tremendous amounts of technical and flight data. Data cleaning, sorting, and visualization skills are crucial for gaining valuable insights from this vast data and telling an effective story. I regularly use Microsoft Excel to analyze and visualize pilot and maintenance reports, helping to identify our top delay/cancellation drivers and find correlations.
What are the main soft skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
This skill is paramount in maintaining a high level of safety in aviation and aerospace organizations. The ability to communicate clearly and concisely helps prevent misunderstandings, especially in high-pressure situations. Active listening and attention to detail also contribute significantly to effective communication and can potentially save lives.
Given the complexities involved in troubleshooting aircraft technical issues, critical thinking is essential and required daily in my line of work. Identifying the root causes of major issues through problem-solving can improve the reliability, safety, and profitability of our operations in the long run. Along with critical thinking, adaptability is also key in addressing technical challenges.
Collaboration across all departments is essential in my role. Regular teamwork between flight operations, maintenance, finance, purchasing, and components is a common and necessary part of ensuring smooth and efficient operations.
’s personal path
Tell us about your personal journey in
:
Coming from the part of the world where I was raised, pursuing a dream in Aerospace Engineering was challenging. Many students after high school typically turn to computer science or electronics and communication engineering for their undergraduate programs, as there are abundant career opportunities available in those fields. Aerospace Engineering, however, remains a relatively unexplored path in India. Despite societal pressure to choose a more conventional field, I was drawn to the idea of designing something that could fly and investigating incidents that could save lives. My four years of undergraduate study only fueled my desire to continue in Aerospace Engineering. However, I soon realized that I am more of a generalist than a specialist. Being close to aircraft and involved in daily operations excited me far more than conducting simulations in a research laboratory.
It was only after starting my master’s program that I realized how different aviation is from aerospace. It felt like I was entering an entirely new field. Initially, I was stressed and unsure about which courses to enroll in, so I decided to take all the aviation courses offered to gain a comprehensive understanding of the career paths available. This decision proved effective later when I began my career, as I was able to apply classroom methodologies to real-world problems.
As a non-resident immigrant in this country, navigating a career in aviation proved extremely challenging since many roles involved sensitive safety data. I applied to numerous positions, only to be informed that non-citizens were not considered. Adding to these challenges was the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought global aviation to a standstill and led to thousands of layoffs. The uncertainty took a mental toll on me, as the odds of securing a job in aviation were extremely low. Moreover, it had been two years since I last visited my home country. To buy time and allow the aviation industry to recover, I extended my final semester. By mid-2021, as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, aviation began to recover. After graduation, I attended numerous interviews with airlines and managed to secure a position with a regional airline just 10 days before my visa expired.
Immigration issues persist to this day, three years after my graduation. However, these challenges have also presented new opportunities to upskill and become more valuable to my organization. Overall, I feel grateful to have faced these challenges and continued to pursue the career I have always sought.
What would you tell your younger you regarding building your current career?
There are many external events in the world that we cannot control, which can create uncertainty and cause anxiety. I would tell my younger self not to panic in such circumstances, but to focus on the things I can control. Eventually, everything will fall into place as we manifest our goals. I would also advise my younger self to network with professionals in the industry, gain more insights, and customize my profile accordingly, rather than applying to multiple roles every day.
Final thoughts & tips
Aviation and aerospace are very dynamic fields and are highly impacted by global events, which means they also offer exciting challenges to work on. Pursuing a career in this field is not easy, but it can be greatly rewarding. If you want to pursue a career where every day is different and exciting, aviation could be a great choice.
Resources to dig in more
Aviation Week
To follow what’s happening in the aviation world.
Aircraft Commerce
To understand commercial aspects of aircrafts.
“Introduction to Flight" by John D. Anderson
Provides fundamental understanding of aerodynamics, propulsion & flight dynamics.
Aerospace Science and Technology
A journal to learn exciting developments in the field of Aerospace.
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Leading professional society for aerospace engineers, offering journals, conferences, courses, and networking opportunities.
