Air conditioning and ECS course in aircraft
Online course of 300 hours in aircraft air conditioning and environmental control systems (ECS): 6 modules covering cabin environmental requirements, air cycle refrigeration, air distribution and recirculation, ECS control and management, and air quality and maintenance, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Determine the environmental requirements of a cabin.
Analyse the thermodynamic cycles of air cycle refrigeration.
Design air distribution and recirculation.
Apply zone temperature control strategies.
Assess cabin air quality.
Diagnose ECS faults.
Size an aircraft air conditioning system.
Who it's for
- Aircraft environmental systems engineers seeking an end-to-end view of the ECS.
- Aeronautical thermal engineers working on heat loads and cooling.
- CFD simulation engineers modelling cabin airflow and ventilation.
- Air systems maintenance technicians who troubleshoot packs and distribution.
- Certification engineers dealing with ventilation and air quality requirements.
- Air quality engineers focusing on cabin contaminants and fume events.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the aeronautical sector.
What you'll work with
- CS 25.831 (EASA) (ventilation)
- 14 CFR 25.831 (FAA ventilation requirements)
- ASHRAE 161 (air quality within commercial aircraft)
- SAE ARP85 (air conditioning systems for subsonic aeroplanes)
- UNE-EN 4618 (aircraft internal air quality standards, criteria and determination methods)
- CS 25.832 (EASA) (cabin ozone concentration)
- SAE AIR1168 (aerospace applied thermodynamics manual)
- Simcenter Amesim
- Ansys Fluent
- MATLAB/Simulink
- EES (Engineering Equation Solver)
- Dymola
6 modules
1.1Thermal comfort of passengers and crew1.2Minimum ventilation per occupant1.3Relative humidity in the cabin1.4Air quality and contaminants1.5Thermal requirements of avionics and cargo holds1.6Heat loads: solar, occupants and equipment1.7Design conditions on the ground and in flight1.8Ventilation certification requirements1.9Cabin air quality standards1.10Case study: heat balance of a passenger cabin
2.1Reverse Brayton air cycle2.2Air conditioning units (packs)2.3Air cycle machine2.4Primary and secondary heat exchangers2.5High- and low-pressure water separation2.6Cooling turbines2.7Pack performance in different flight phases2.8Vapour cycle refrigeration2.9Cycles for more-electric aircraft2.10Practical exercise: thermodynamic calculation of a two-wheel pack
3.1Mixer and air recirculation3.2HEPA filters and efficiency3.3Distribution ducts and flow rates3.4Zone temperature control3.5Trim air3.6Avionics and lavatory ventilation3.7Cargo hold heating3.8Cabin airflow patterns3.9CFD simulation of cabin airflow3.10Lab: CFD simulation of cabin ventilation
4.1Pack and zone controllers4.2Temperature control loops4.3Flow management and fuel saving4.4Air sources: APU, bleed air and ground carts4.5Bleedless architectures4.6Integration with pressurisation4.7ECS sensors and diagnostics4.8Failures and the minimum equipment list4.9ECS energy consumption4.10Workshop: three-zone temperature control strategy
5.1Fume and odour events5.2Oil and hydraulic fluid contamination5.3In-flight ozone and catalytic converters5.4Carbon dioxide and ventilation5.5Disease transmission in the cabin5.6Filter and pack maintenance5.7Heat exchanger cleaning5.8ECS fault diagnosis5.9System reliability indicators5.10Case study: investigation of a cabin odour event
6.1Aircraft requirements6.2Heat load calculation6.3ECS architecture selection6.4Pack sizing6.5Distribution design6.6Control strategy6.7Air quality analysis6.8Design conclusions6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Simcenter Amesim, Ansys Fluent, MATLAB/Simulink, EES (Engineering Equation Solver) and Dymola, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: calculation of cabin heat loads, ventilation airflow simulation and ECS fault diagnosis. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrative project.
Standards covered: CS 25.831 (EASA), 14 CFR 25.831, ASHRAE 161, SAE ARP85, UNE-EN 4618, CS 25.832 (EASA), SAE AIR1168.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer able to run the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Simcenter Amesim, Ansys Fluent, MATLAB/Simulink, EES (Engineering Equation Solver) and Dymola, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme's software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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