Following her post-graduate studies at Cranfield University, Eszter’s path to aerospace continued when she joined Airbus in 2011 in the Structures Test department in Filton. In 2017, she was granted an expert mission in Advance Data Capture and Correlation, and is now on the senior expert path - an esteemed position only granted to those with the highest expertise. We sat down with her to learn more about what inspired her to pursue this remarkable career, and the benefits of working at Airbus.
Can you tell us a bit more about your role?
I am an expert in Advanced Data Capture and Correlation within Airbus' Structures Test department in Bristol, and am based in our AIRTeC facility which is the Aerospace Integrated Research and Test Center. This is a state of the art facility designed specifically to provide the most advanced working environment for Airbus, suppliers, partners, and academia. Our domain performs structural tests for all aircraft and research programs.
We perform tests on specimens ranging from small to very large sizes (like full scale wings), with the objective to understand their structural performance and integrity under applied loads. I specialize in advanced measurement technologies that can acquire data during these tests to feed decision making and help understand the behavior of these structures, like deformation and damage evolution.
I have been topic manager and project architect for multidisciplinary, multi-year collaborations with external research organizations and industrial partners. I am currently the technical lead on the Smarter Testing project for which we are developing unique methods, tools and processes for new and novel ways of performing the tests.
Photo of Eszter Szigeti for Airbus Faces.
What inspired you to be a part of the aerospace sector?
My father, who is very theoretical, is a well known mathematician in his field of expertise and my mother, who was very practical, was an architect and interior designer. So I had the right ingredients. But my journey to aerospace started when I became a Frequent Flyer on a transatlantic flight from Budapest to Mexico. I had plenty of time on those flights to think about very philosophical questions like, "How do they make it?" I realised after a while that I fell in love with airplanes and I kept daydreaming about one day working for an aircraft manufacturing company. And here I am today so I can confidently quote Walt Disney: "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
Concerning the beginning of your career path at Airbus, what was the main drive that led you to apply and be part of this company?
As part of my final project at university, I was invited to give a presentation at the Airbus Hamburg site. Upon arrival, I was truly impressed with the sheer size of the operations and after visiting some facilities where they perform very complex engineering tasks I had no doubt that I wanted to be part of it and work for Airbus. Immediately after that I was looking for suitable jobs within the company and I joined Airbus a few months later in 2011 as an Experimental Mechanics Specialist.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
It's like my hobby, I love my job! I really enjoy most aspects and I am really proud to be part of Airbus. I really love the diversity of the projects I get involved in and that we can get real hands-on experience working in our state of the art facilities.
Tell us about one of the most memorable experiences from your career at Airbus. What made it so special and unforgettable?
I have many but the most memorable ones are from the A350 major test programs where I had to perform complex measurements to support Type Certification. Real challenging and hands-on experience with lots of networking and traveling!
The most exciting and impressive event during these test campaigns was the margin research test campaign for the A350 major static test program. It was truly remarkable to feel the excitement in the control room and to see the flexibility of those wings beyond their design limits.
What has been one of the most empowering moments at Airbus?
It was the day when I passed my expert validation in 2017. At the time, I was the youngest female expert within Airbus Commercial Aircraft, which really filled me with pride - and I have never felt more empowered to make a difference.
What is the most important advice you have been given? Any advice you would like to share with women aspiring to pursue a career in the aerospace industry?
Don’t be afraid to dream big!
What are the benefits of working at Airbus?
There are so many! I feel that opportunities are endless and there are so many ways to grow and learn. Personally, I have also got immense support from my line managers and HR Business Partners throughout my maternity journey which was invaluable as a mother.
Eszter's Career Path at Airbus
Experimental Mechanics Specialist
Airbus, Filton, United Kingdom
Expert in Advance Data Capture and Correlation
Airbus, Filton, United Kingdom
