Diploma in Tiltrotor Integration and Rotary Flight Control
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in tiltrotor integration and rotary-wing flight control. 8 modules covering convertible aircraft, proprotor and wing aerodynamics, whirl flutter, flight dynamics modelling, fly-by-wire control laws, systems integration and certification, 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
Explain how tiltrotors work and their conversion corridor.
Analyse the aerodynamic interaction between proprotors and wing.
Assess whirl flutter risk and stability margins.
Build trimmed and linearised flight dynamics models.
Design fly-by-wire control laws for all flight modes.
Integrate transmission, actuators and avionics with redundancy criteria.
Plan the verification and certification of a convertible aircraft.
Who it's for
- Flight control engineers
- Rotorcraft flight dynamics engineers
- Tiltrotor integration engineers
- Aeroelasticity engineers
- Simulator test engineers
- Flight systems certification engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to join convertible aircraft manufacturers
What you'll work with
- ADS-33E-PRF (rotorcraft handling qualities)
- SC-VTOL (EASA) (special condition for VTOL aircraft)
- DO-178C (airborne software)
- DO-254 (airborne electronic hardware)
- SAE ARP4754A (development of civil aircraft and systems)
- SAE ARP4761 (safety assessment process)
- SAE AS94900 (flight control systems for piloted military aircraft)
- 14 CFR Part 21 (certification procedures for products and articles)
- FLIGHTLAB
- CAMRAD II
- MATLAB/Simulink
- CIFER
- X-Plane
8 modules
1.1History: XV-3, XV-15 and V-221.2AW609 and civil certification1.3Tiltrotor versus tiltwing and lift+cruise1.4Helicopter, conversion and aeroplane modes1.5The conversion corridor1.6Proprotors: the trade-off between hover and cruise1.7eVTOL with tilting rotors1.8Civil and emergency missions1.9Operational advantages and drawbacks1.10Case study: XV-15 conversion corridor
2.1Highly twisted proprotors2.2Download on the wing in hover2.3Flow over the wing during conversion2.4Propulsive efficiency in cruise2.5Influence of the nacelle and spinner2.6Interaction between lateral rotors2.7Free-wake models2.8CFD of rotor-wing interaction2.9Proprotor noise2.10Lab: estimating the download on the wing
3.1Whirl flutter: fundamentals3.2Wing and nacelle stiffness3.3Blade-wing mode coupling3.4Gimballed rotors and stability3.5Flutter margins and limit speeds3.6Wind tunnel testing with an aeroelastic model3.7Active flutter control3.8Lessons from the V-22 development3.9Aeroelastic certification requirements3.10Practical exercise: simplified whirl flutter model
4.1Six-degree-of-freedom model4.2Individual-blade rotor model4.3Control mixing in transition4.4Linearisation at trim points4.5System identification in flight4.6Model validation with flight data4.7Reduced-order models for control4.8Real-time simulation4.9Parametric uncertainty4.10Lab: trimming and linearising a tiltrotor
5.1Triplex fly-by-wire architecture5.2ACAH and RCAH response types5.3Control mixing in conversion5.4Gain scheduling5.5Robust H-infinity control5.6Nonlinear dynamic inversion5.7Envelope and nacelle protection5.8Load and attitude limiters5.9Assessment with ADS-33E criteria5.10Workshop: gain-scheduled controller
6.1Transmission with interconnect shaft6.2Nacelle tilt actuators6.3Integrated modular avionics6.4Engine failure during conversion6.5Hydraulic systems and redundancy6.6Low-speed air data6.7Distributed electric propulsion6.8Weight and balance during conversion6.9Cockpit interfaces6.10Case study: engine failure mid-conversion
7.1Powered-lift aircraft in the regulations7.2EASA SC-VTOL special condition7.3Software according to DO-178C7.4Complex hardware according to DO-2547.5ARP4761 safety assessment7.6Piloted simulator testing7.7Conversion flight testing7.8Change management in control laws7.9Lessons from the AW609 certification7.10Practical exercise: verification plan for a control law
8.1Definition of the aircraft and the mission8.2Flight dynamics model8.3Proposed conversion corridor8.4Control law design8.5Handling qualities assessment8.6Failure and redundancy analysis8.7Certification plan8.8Simulation results8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training is 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 the intake, so you can combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is FLIGHTLAB, CAMRAD II, MATLAB/Simulink, CIFER and X-Plane, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: real-time simulation of tiltrotor conversion, design and assessment of control laws in a piloted simulator, and aeroelastic stability analysis of the nacelle. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ADS-33E-PRF, SC-VTOL (EASA), DO-178C, DO-254, SAE ARP4754A, SAE ARP4761, SAE AS94900, 14 CFR Part 21.
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 work with FLIGHTLAB, CAMRAD II, MATLAB/Simulink, CIFER and X-Plane, 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 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 (no university degree required), a computer able to run 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.
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