GATE - The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is an all India Examination conducted by the six Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, on behalf of the National Coordinating Board - GATE, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.

The GATE committee, which comprises of representatives from the administering institutes, is the sole authority for regulating the examination and declaring the results.

GATE is conducted through the constitution of eight zones. The zones and the corresponding administrative institutes are:

Zone 1 - Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
Zone 2 - Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Zone 3 - Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Zone 4 - Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Zone 5 - Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Zone 6 - Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Zone 7 - Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Zone 8 - Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

Some institutions specify GATE as the mandatory qualification even for admission of self-financing students to postgraduate programmes. GATE qualified candidates are also eligible for the award of Junior Research Fellowship in CSIR Laboratories and CSIR sponsored projects. Some government organizations prescribe GATE qualification as a requirement for applying to the post of a Scientist / Engineer.

Syllabi for GATE Paper Aerospace Engineering –AE

ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS

Linear Algebra: Matrix algebra, systems of linear equations, Eigen values and Eigen vectors.

Calculus: Functions of single variable, limit, continuity and differentiability, mean value theorems, evaluation of definite and improper integrals, partial derivatives, total derivative, maxima and minima, gradient, divergence and curl, vector identities, directional derivatives, line, surface and volume integrals. Theorems of Stokes, Gauss and Green.

Differential Calculus: First order linear and nonlinear equations, higher order linear ODEs with constant coefficients, Cauchy and Euler equations, initial and boundary value problems, Laplace transforms. Partial differential equations and separation of variables methods.

Numerical methods: Numerical solution of linear and nonlinear algebraic equations, integration by trapezoidal and Simpson rule, single and multi-step methods for differential equations.

Reference books:

1. Advanced Engineering Mathematics - Grewal
2. Advanced Engineering Mathematics - Kreizig

FLIGHT MECHANICS

Atmosphere: Properties, standard atmosphere. Classification of aircraft. Airplane (fixed wing aircraft) configuration and various parts.

Airplane performance: Pressure altitude; equivalent, calibrated, indicated air speeds; Primary flight instruments: Altimeter, ASI, VSI, Turn-bank indicator. Drag polar; take off and landing; steady climb & descent,-absolute and service ceiling; cruise, cruise climb, endurance or loiter; load factor, turning flight, V-n diagram; Winds: head, tail & cross winds.

Static stability: Angle of attack, sideslip; roll, pitch & yaw controls; longitudinal stick fixed & free stability, horizontal tail position and size; directional stability, vertical tail position and size; dihedral stability. Wing dihedral, sweep & position; hinge moments, stick forces.

Dynamic stability: Euler angles; Equations of motion; aerodynamic forces and moments, stability & control derivatives; decoupling of longitudinal and lat-directional dynamics; longitudinal modes; lateral-directional modes.

Reference books:

1. Aircraft Performance & Design – Anderson
2. Introduction to flight – Anderson
3. Flight Stability and Automatic Control - Robert C Nelson
4. Airplane Stability and Control - Pertin and Hage
5. Aerodynamics,Aeronautics and Flight Mechanics - Barnes.W.Mcormick

SPACE DYNAMICS

Central force motion, determination of trajectory and orbital period in simple cases. Orbit transfer, in-plane and outof- plane. Elements of rocket motor performance.

Reference books:

1. Rocket Propulsion and space Dynamics - Cornelisse
   
2. Space Mechanics - Nelson, Walter C.; Loft, Ernest E.
   
3. Introduction To Space Dynamics - Thomson, William Tyrrell
   
4. Introduction to flight - Anderson

AERODYNAMICS

Basic Fluid Mechanics: Incompressible irrotational flow, Helmholtz and Kelvin theorem, singularities and superposition, viscous flows, boundary layer on a flat plate.

Airfoils and wings: Classification of airfoils, aerodynamic characteristics, high lift devices, Kutta Joukowski theorem; lift generation; thin airfoil theory; wing theory; induced drag; qualitative treatment of low aspect ratio wings.

Viscous Flows: Flow separation, introduction to turbulence, transition, structure of a turbulent boundary layer.

Compressible Flows: Dynamics and Thermodynamics of I-D flow, isentropic flow, normal shock, oblique shock, Prandtl-Meyer flow, flow in nozzles and diffusers, inviscid flow in a c-d nozzle, flow in diffusers. subsonic and supersonic airfoils, compressibility effects on lift and drag, critical and drag divergence Mach number, wave drag.

Wind Tunnel Testing: Measurement and visualisation techniques.

Reference books:

1. Introduction to flight - Anderson
   
2. Fundamentals of Aerodynamics - Anderson
   
3. Aerodynamics for Engineering Students - Houghton and Carpenter/Caruthers
   
4. Aerodynamics - Clancy
   
5. Modern Compressible flow - Anderson
   
6. Gas dynamics - Rathakrishnan
   
7. Viscous flow - F M white

STRUCTURES

Stress and Strain: Equations of equilibrium, constitutive law, strain-displacement relationship, compatibility equations, plane stress and strain, Airy’s stress function.

Flight Vehicle Structures: Characteristics of aircraft structures and materials, torsion, bending and flexural shear. Flexural shear flow in thin-walled sections. Buckling. Failure theories. Loads on aircraft.

Structural Dynamics: Free and forced vibration of discrete systems. Damping and resonance. Dynamics of continuous systems.

Reference books:

1. Analysis of Aircraft Structures: An Introduction -Donaldson
   
2. Analysis and Design of Flight Vehicle Structures - Bruhn
   
3. Aircraft structures for engineering students - T.H.G. Megson
   
4. Theory of vibration - Meirovich

PROPULSION

Thermodynamics of Aircraft Gas Turbine engines, thrust and thrust augmentation.

Turbomachinery: Axial compressors and turbines, centrifugal pumps and compressors.

Aerothermodynamics of non rotating propulsion components: Intakes, combustor and nozzle. Thermodynamics of ramjets and scramjets. Elements of rocket propulsion.

Reference books:

1. Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion - Hill and petersen
   
2. Gas Turbine Theory - H Cohen,GFC Rogers,HIH Saravanamutto
   
3. Gas Turbine Engine Handbook - Meherwan P.Boyce
   
4. Elements of Rocket Propulsion - Sutton
5. Principles of Flight - Mike Burton
   
6. From the ground up - Sandy MacDonalds
   
7. Flight without Formulae - Kermode
   
8. Mechanics of Flight - Kermode

Reference books for basic fundamentals:

1. Principles of Flight - Mike Burton
   
2. From the ground up - Sandy MacDonalds
   
3. Flight without Formulae - Kermode
   
4. Mechanics of Flight - Kermode

ALL THE BEST