Postgraduate Diploma in Rotorcraft Gearbox Design
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in rotorcraft gearbox design. 8 modules covering transmission architecture, gear design and calculation to ISO 6336 and AGMA 2001-D04, materials and manufacturing, bearings and shafts, lubrication, dynamics and noise, testing and CS-29 certification, with an assigned technical tutor.
Postgraduate Diploma in Rotorcraft Gearbox Design — studying from Malta
Malta's aerospace activity is concentrated around Malta International Airport at Luqa, where aircraft maintenance, cabin interiors and aviation services form a significant part of the local economy. The island's aviation sector is supported by a long-established regulatory framework and a growing interest in drone operations and advanced air mobility. Engineers here commonly find work with aircraft maintenance organisations, aviation services providers and companies engaged in unmanned systems testing. Expertise in airworthiness, systems integration and regulatory compliance is particularly valued by employers operating within this niche but internationally connected market.
Fees for Malta: €895 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which professional bodies in Malta recognise engineers working in aerospace, UAM, drones and space, and how does that affect my title?
Malta's Chamber of Engineers (KSU) regulates the use of the title 'engineer' under the Engineering Profession Act. Aviation safety is overseen by the Malta Competition and Consumers Affairs Authority's aviation counterpart, Transport Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate, which licenses operators and certain technical staff. A private SEIUM qualification does not itself grant a regulated title; recognition depends on the employer or the relevant body.
Which employers in Malta might hire someone with an aerospace or drone engineering background?
Malta has an aviation sector centred on Malta International Airport, aircraft maintenance and MRO activity, and a growing drone and space-related presence at the University of Malta and in private firms. Employers vary in their hiring criteria. A private qualification can support a application, but employers will weigh it against experience and any formal credentials they require.
Can I realistically study this 1,900-hour programme while working full time in Malta, and do I need a visa?
Programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home in Malta or elsewhere without a student visa. Each student gets an assigned technical tutor. Workload should be planned around your job; 1,900 hours is substantial, so most working professionals spread it over a long period. Ask about employer sponsorship and instalment fee options before enrolling.
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
Describe the architecture of the main transmission of a rotorcraft.
Calculate gears for bending and contact stress in accordance with the standards.
Select materials and heat treatments for aerospace gears.
Size bearings and shafts for the system loads.
Design the lubrication and cooling system of the gearbox.
Analyse the noise and vibration generated by gear meshing.
Plan the certification tests and the maintenance programme.
Who it's for
- Rotorcraft transmission engineers who want to specialise in rotorcraft gearbox design.
- Gear design engineers who want to specialise in rotorcraft gearbox design.
- Lubrication and tribology engineers who want to specialise in rotorcraft gearbox design.
- Transmission certification engineers who want to specialise in rotorcraft gearbox design.
- Gear manufacturing engineers who want to specialise in rotorcraft gearbox design.
- In-service support engineers who want to specialise in rotorcraft gearbox design.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the helicopter industry.
What you'll work with
- ISO 6336 (load capacity of spur and helical gears)
- AGMA 2001-D04 (rating of spur and helical gear teeth)
- CS-29 (rotor drive system requirements)
- AGMA 911 (design guidelines for aerospace gearing)
- ISO 281 (rolling bearing rating life)
- EN 9100 (aerospace quality management)
- MIL-PRF-23699 (turbine engine lubricating oils)
- KISSsoft
- Romax
- MASTA
- ANSYS Mechanical
- MATLAB
8 modules
1.1Function of the main transmission1.2Engine-rotor-tail rotor drive train1.3Typical reduction ratios1.4Transmitted power and operating regimes1.5Weight and reliability requirements1.6Gearbox architectures1.7Applicable certification regulations1.8Industry vocabulary1.9Design stakeholders1.10Workshop: initial specification of a gearbox
2.1Spur, helical and bevel gears2.2Spiral bevel gears2.3Epicyclic gear trains2.4Tooth geometry and profile correction2.5Bending and surface contact stress calculation2.6Service and application factors2.7Gear calculation standards2.8Contact ratio and its effect2.9Weight-strength optimisation2.10Practical: calculation of a gear stage
3.1Case-hardening steels for gears3.2Heat treatments and their control3.3Gear tooth grinding3.4Surface finish and its effect3.5Shot peening and residual stresses3.6Gear tooth quality control3.7Material traceability3.8Tolerances and quality grades3.9Manufacturing cost3.10Practical: manufacturing specification for a gear
4.1Bearing selection4.2Load capacity and life4.3Preload and clearances4.4Housings and fits4.5Shafts and their fatigue calculation4.6Splines and joints4.7Misalignments and their effect4.8Stiffness of the assembly4.9Assembly and disassembly4.10Practical: sizing a shaft with its bearings
5.1Lubrication requirements of the transmission5.2Aviation oils5.3Lubrication circuit and its design5.4Pumps, filters and heat exchangers5.5Oil jets and lubrication nozzles5.6Dry running and its requirements5.7Particle detection5.8Allowable temperatures5.9Circuit maintenance5.10Practical: design of the lubrication circuit
6.1Gear mesh frequencies6.2Transmission errors6.3Resonances of the assembly6.4Cabin interior noise6.5Damping and isolation6.6Modal analysis of the gearbox casing6.7Imbalances and their effect6.8Test bench measurement6.9Design corrections6.10Practical: dynamic analysis of a gearbox
7.1Power test bench testing7.2Endurance and life testing7.3Loss-of-lubrication run test7.4Component fatigue testing7.5Test bench instrumentation7.6Acceptance criteria7.7Certification documentation7.8Relationship with the authority7.9In-service monitoring7.10Practical: test plan for a gearbox
8.1Inspection and wear limits8.2Oil and particle analysis8.3Transmission health monitoring8.4Life limits and overhaul8.5Obsolescence management8.6Development and series production costs8.7Supply chain8.8Common design mistakes8.9Documented real cases8.10Final project: preliminary design of a rotorcraft gearbox
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is KISSsoft, Romax, MASTA, ANSYS Mechanical and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for transmission test benches, loss-of-oil run tests and oil and particle analysis. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final capstone project.
Standards covered: ISO 6336, AGMA 2001-D04, CS-29, AGMA 911, ISO 281, EN 9100 and MIL-PRF-23699.
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
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme 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 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You will work with KISSsoft, Romax, MASTA, ANSYS Mechanical and MATLAB. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and your tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, 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.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (a university degree is not required), an internet connection and a computer capable of running the 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.
Related programmes
Diploma in High Mach Testing and Thermal Protection
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in high-Mach testing and thermal protection. 8 modules covering high-speed test facilities, short-duration instrumentation, thermal protection materials, ablation, thermophysical characterisation,…
Diploma in AgriTech Mission Planning and Regulation
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in AgriTech mission planning and regulation: 8 modules covering precision agriculture with drones, the European UAS regulatory framework, aerial application…
Diploma in U-Space Traffic Management and UTM Services
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in U-Space Traffic Management and UTM Services. 8 modules covering the U-space concept, mandatory U-space services, UTM technical architecture, strategic…
More in Aerospace, UAM, Drones & Space
All Aerospace, UAM, Drones & Space programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships