Basic aircraft flight control course
Online course of 300 hours in basic aircraft flight control. 6 modules covering flight mechanics, static and dynamic stability, flight control surfaces and systems, control system design and autopilot functions, with an assigned technical tutor.
Basic aircraft flight control course — studying from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has one of the world's most established aerospace sectors, anchored by clusters in Bristol, Filton, Derby, Hampshire and Scotland's Glasgow corridor. Major manufacturers and suppliers such as Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Airbus UK and GKN Aerospace drive demand for engineers in design, propulsion, structures and systems integration. Urban air mobility, electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, and commercial drones are emerging alongside, supported by government programmes and test corridors. Space engineering is growing through launch and satellite activity around the UK spaceports and Harwell. Graduates with aerospace expertise find roles across manufacturing, certification and research.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £373 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which professional bodies in the UK recognise aerospace engineering qualifications, and does SEIUM's qualification give me chartered status?
In the UK, the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) is the main professional body for aerospace engineers and can award Chartered Engineer status through the Engineering Council. SEIUM's qualifications are private and are not accredited by the Engineering Council or RAeS, so they do not confer chartered status on their own. Recognition is decided by employers and the relevant body, so check directly with RAeS whether your study and experience will count towards registration.
Will a private online aerospace qualification help me find work with UK aerospace or drone employers?
UK aerospace, drone and space employers, including many working on civil aviation, defence and space projects, generally judge candidates on demonstrated skills, portfolio work and experience. A private qualification may support your application, but its value depends on each employer's own assessment. It is worth asking prospective employers how they view such qualifications before you enrol.
Can I study this programme alongside a full-time job in the UK, and what language level is needed?
Yes, programmes are delivered fully online, so you can study from home without a student visa, wherever you are based. Workload varies by programme length, and you will have an assigned technical tutor for support. Teaching is in English, so you should be comfortable reading and writing technical English. Check the programme schedule and time commitment against your working hours 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
Formulate the equations of motion of an aircraft.
Analyse static stability and dynamic modes.
Describe flight control systems.
Design stability augmentation systems.
Understand how the autopilot works.
Assess the robustness of a control system.
Simulate the behaviour of the controlled aircraft.
Who it's for
- Flight control engineers
- Flight mechanics engineers
- Aeronautical simulation engineers
- Avionics systems engineers
- Flight test engineers
- Unmanned systems engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into the aeronautics sector
What you'll work with
- CS-25 (EASA) (certification specifications for large aeroplanes)
- MIL-HDBK-1797 (flying qualities of piloted aircraft)
- SAE ARP4754B (guidelines for development of civil aircraft and systems)
- CS-23 (EASA) (certification specifications for normal-category aeroplanes)
- RTCA DO-178C (software considerations in airborne systems and equipment certification)
- ISO 1151-1 (flight dynamics: concepts, quantities and symbols)
- SAE ARP4761A (safety assessment process for civil aircraft systems)
- MATLAB/Simulink
- JSBSim
- X-Plane
- FlightGear
- Python Control Systems Library
6 modules
1.1Reference frames and Euler angles1.2Rigid-body equations of motion1.3Aerodynamic forces and moments1.4Equilibrium and trim conditions1.5Small-perturbation linearisation1.6Stability derivatives1.7Longitudinal and lateral-directional equations1.8State and control variables1.9State-space modelling1.10Practical exercise: trimming an aircraft in level flight
2.1Longitudinal static stability2.2Neutral point and static margin2.3Directional and lateral stability2.4Short-period mode2.5Phugoid mode and its damping2.6Roll, spiral and Dutch roll modes2.7Handling qualities and Cooper-Harper rating scales2.8Certification stability requirements2.9Influence of the centre of gravity2.10Lab: modal analysis of a light aircraft
3.1Elevator, ailerons and rudder3.2Trim tabs and control forces3.3Mechanical flight control systems3.4Hydraulically powered controls3.5Fly-by-wire control systems3.6Spoilers and roll control3.7Trimmable horizontal stabiliser3.8Redundancy in flight control systems3.9Control failures and their management3.10Case study: diagnosing an aileron asymmetry
4.1Aircraft transfer functions4.2Bode diagrams and root locus4.3Yaw and pitch dampers4.4Stability and control augmentation4.5PID controllers in flight4.6Robustness and stability margins4.7Actuator saturation4.8Sensors: inertial, air data and GPS4.9Validation in the simulator4.10Workshop: designing a yaw damper in Simulink
5.1Autopilot modes5.2Altitude and speed control5.3Heading tracking and navigation5.4Autothrottle and thrust management5.5Flight envelope protections5.6Autoland and ILS categories5.7Flight control software development5.8System safety analysis5.9Pilot-automation interaction5.10Practical exercise: simulating an altitude hold mode
6.1Selection of the study aircraft6.2Dynamic model and trim6.3Eigenmode analysis6.4Handling qualities requirements6.5Control system design6.6Non-linear simulation6.7Robustness assessment6.8Design 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. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine the programme with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, JSBSim, X-Plane, FlightGear and the Python Control Systems Library, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: modal analysis of a light aircraft, design and simulation of a stability augmentation system and virtual testing in a flight simulator. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final capstone project.
Standards covered: CS-25 (EASA), MIL-HDBK-1797, SAE ARP4754B, CS-23 (EASA), RTCA DO-178C, ISO 1151-1, SAE ARP4761A
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 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 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 MATLAB/Simulink, JSBSim, X-Plane, FlightGear and Python Control Systems Library, 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 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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