Master’s in Rotor Aeromechanics, Vibration and Aeroelasticity Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in rotor aeromechanics, vibration and aeroelasticity engineering, with 12 modules covering rotor dynamics, unsteady aerodynamics, rotor aeroelasticity, ground and air resonance, fuselage vibration and its control, balancing and tracking, aeroacoustics, comprehensive analysis tools and CS-29 certification, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Rotor Aeromechanics, Vibration and Aeroelasticity Engineering — studying from New Zealand
New Zealand's defence engineering sector is centred on the New Zealand Defence Force, which operates land, sea and air capabilities, with major bases at Linton and Burnham. Defence procurement and sustainment are managed through the Ministry of Defence, and local firms support maintenance, communications and vehicle systems. Land systems engineering is closely linked to the country's agricultural and forestry sectors, where ruggedised vehicles and equipment are developed and maintained.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$19,700 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
How is defence and military engineering recognised in New Zealand?
Engineering registration is handled by Engineering New Zealand, and defence procurement and security clearances are managed through the New Zealand Defence Force and government procurement processes. Security clearance requirements can matter more than academic credentials for some roles. SEIUM is a private institute, and its qualifications are not accredited by a national body, so recognition rests with the employer.
What defence and land systems employers operate in New Zealand?
Opportunities arise with the New Zealand Defence Force, Defence Technology Agency, defence industry suppliers and engineering firms serving land systems and vehicles. Many roles require citizenship or security clearance. A private online qualification may support an application, but it does not guarantee a position, and clearance and experience usually weigh more heavily.
Is it possible to study from New Zealand without a visa, and can my employer pay?
Yes, programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so no student visa is needed to study from home. Each includes an assigned technical tutor and a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Specialist courses take 300 hours, diplomas 800 and master's 1,900, so plan your workload carefully.
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
Model the dynamics of blades and rotors.
Apply unsteady aerodynamics to the rotor.
Analyse aeroelastic stability and ground resonance.
Assess and control fuselage vibration.
Predict and reduce rotor noise.
Use coupled comprehensive analysis tools.
Demonstrate compliance with certification requirements.
Who it's for
- Aeromechanics engineers working on rotor loads, stability and vibration.
- Rotor dynamics engineers modelling blades and hubs.
- Vibration engineers dealing with fuselage response and vibration control.
- Aeroacoustics engineers predicting and reducing rotor noise.
- HUMS analysts interpreting vibration trends and balancing data.
- Certification engineers demonstrating flutter and vibration compliance.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the aerospace industry.
What you'll work with
- CS-29 (EASA certification specifications for large rotorcraft)
- CS-27 (EASA certification specifications for small rotorcraft)
- ICAO Annex 16, Volume I (aircraft noise)
- ISO 2631-1 (mechanical vibration: human exposure to whole-body vibration)
- EMAR 21 (European military airworthiness requirements)
- CAP 753 (helicopter health and usage monitoring, UK CAA)
- ADS-33E-PRF (handling qualities requirements for military rotorcraft)
- CAMRAD II
- Dymore
- MATLAB
- MSC Nastran
- OpenFOAM
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Dynamics of the articulated blade1.2Flap, lag and pitch1.3Hingeless and bearingless rotors1.4Blade natural frequencies1.5Campbell diagram1.6Coupling between degrees of freedom1.7Beam models for blades1.8Effects of centrifugal force1.9Lagrange equations of the rotor1.10Case study: Campbell diagram of a rotor
2.1Theodorsen theory2.2Wagner and Küssner functions2.3Dynamic stall2.4Blade-vortex interaction2.5Rotor wake2.6Dynamic inflow models2.7The Pitt-Peters model2.8Vortex methods2.9Coupled CFD2.10Lab: dynamic stall simulation of an aerofoil
3.1Aeroelastic equations of the blade3.2Blade flutter3.3Flap-lag instability3.4Torsional divergence3.5Forced response3.6Floquet stability analysis3.7Aeroelasticity of bearingless rotors3.8Lag dampers3.9Aeroelastic testing3.10Practical: Floquet analysis of a blade
4.1Mechanism of ground resonance4.2The Coleman model4.3Influence of the landing gear4.4Required damping4.5Air resonance4.6Certification criteria4.7Ground resonance testing4.8Prevention in maintenance4.9Historical cases4.10Lab: Coleman model in MATLAB
5.1Vibratory loads transmitted by the rotor5.2Blade passage harmonics5.3Fuselage response5.4Finite element models of the fuselage5.5Rotor-fuselage coupling5.6Comfort and fatigue criteria5.7Vibration in seats and equipment5.8In-flight measurement5.9Human exposure standards5.10Practical: forced response analysis of a fuselage
6.1Passive absorbers6.2Bifilar absorbers and pendulums6.3Gearbox isolation6.4Active vibration control6.5Higher harmonic control (HHC)6.6Individual blade control (IBC)6.7Active blade flaps6.8Piezoelectric actuators6.9Effectiveness assessment6.10Case study: design of a tuned absorber
7.1Sources of imbalance7.2Blade tracking7.3Dynamic balancing7.4Measurement equipment7.5Correction algorithms7.6Integration with HUMS7.7Maintenance procedures7.8Vibration trends7.9Fault diagnosis7.10Workshop: balancing correction with measured data
8.1Rotor noise sources8.2Thickness and loading noise8.3Blade-vortex interaction noise8.4High-speed impulsive noise8.5Tail rotor noise8.6The Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equation8.7Noise certification to ICAO Annex 168.8Noise abatement procedures8.9Acoustic testing8.10Lab: noise prediction with FW-H
9.1Whirl flutter9.2Wing-rotor interaction9.3Proprotor stability9.4Pitch-flap coupling9.5Stability models9.6Nacelle stiffness9.7Wind tunnel testing9.8Design against flutter9.9Lessons from programmes9.10Practical: stability analysis of a proprotor
10.1Comprehensive rotorcraft codes10.2CFD/CSD coupling10.3Multibody models10.4Validation against flight data10.5Experimental databases10.6Uncertainty in prediction10.7High-performance computing10.8Model management10.9Analysis workflow10.10Lab: simplified CFD/CSD coupling
11.1CS-29 vibration and flutter requirements11.2Vibration flight testing11.3HUMS monitoring11.4Fatigue management11.5Military airworthiness requirements11.6Investigation of vibration incidents11.7Compliance documentation11.8Safety in testing11.9Professional ethics11.10Case study: demonstration of compliance against flutter
12.1Definition of the aeromechanical problem12.2State-of-the-art review12.3Rotor modelling12.4Aeroelastic analysis12.5Vibration analysis12.6Mitigation proposal12.7Validation12.8Conclusions12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
The programme is delivered 100% online 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, making it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is CAMRAD II, Dymore, MATLAB, MSC Nastran and OpenFOAM, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for rotor aeroelastic stability analysis, design of vibration control systems and rotor noise prediction. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: CS-29, CS-27, ICAO Annex 16 Volume I, ISO 2631-1, EMAR 21, CAP 753 and ADS-33E-PRF.
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
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- 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 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with CAMRAD II, Dymore, MATLAB, MSC Nastran and OpenFOAM, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme 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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