Ride Designers

Hey I have a few questions about "ride designers/engineers"
My definition of "ride designers/engineers"- the people that design the ride, plan it out, on paper..stuff like that.
1. How much on averge to they make per year??
2. What type of college courses do you have to take??
3. What are some good colleges that offer these courses.

Bascially, I'm a student thinking about what I want to do with my life, and I've always loved Roller Coasters and would love to design/make them and I just need the information on how to become a ride designer.

Thanks

www.coasterbuzz.com

Try going to one of their websites and asking them yourself. They can give you the best answers.
I too want to go into something similar to ride designing or engineering. I'm going to ask a college representitive, on my schools Career Night, what I would need to take.

I've already shown very strong grades in my construction, engineering and CADD classes anyway.:)

Only one problem with that guys...

Its my job you think you are gonna get.

Average pay is good if you get in with the right people. Its like second highest salery by engeering type. But you may not get that pay depending on who you work for.

As far as i know for classes, engineering classes, physics, math, drafting wouldnt hurt, design classes, and lunch.

Any good engineering college thats offers Mechinical Engeering should be good. All MEs get the same general classes, its just what they do with them that differs.

Hope that was some help without sounding like a know-it-all.

If you are going to be designing the rides I get on just get smart. :)

MrScott

At a Q&A session with Ron Toomer about eight years ago, someone asked the same question. He pretty much said what Fluff said. But he also added that it’s a hard field to get into. You don’t really see design firms posting job offers. He said those who are already in those positions, are pretty much in it for the long haul, until they retire. You can put your résumé in with a design firm, but Ron said that they had enough resumes to last a lifetime. He was very informative about this but he did stress that it’s not easy. But it never hurts to try right? Maybe by then someone will have started a new firm and will be looking for fresh engineers! I don’t want this post to sound negative and I am not trying to destroy your dreams, just letting you know what Ron said. He knows a thing or two;)

And what TTD said, contact them. They will most of the time send you some pretty cool stuff. I received a good bit of info from some firms, all I did was ask.

Here the answer write from the mouth of Sandor Kernacs of Intamin, who answers the question in the interview below:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3625600
It's about 22 minutes in to the interview, and mostly mentions the different types of engineers and designers involved in designing a ride, but worth a listen none the less.

The thing that most people don't seem to realize is that there are so FEW openings in the field and like has been said, most of the peopel who are in already are planing to stay in.

To say that there are more than three dozen coaster designers in the world would probably be a stretch.

Ron Toomer said that when he started out, he could count all of the roller coaster designers (at that time) on one hand. Today, my guess is that there would be about 1 1/2 dozen.

I have a friend who works at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. He said starting out in ME with the dream of working for a company like B & M, is like becoming a lawyer with the dream of being a Supreme Court Justice.

First, unless you try you have zero chance. Second, you simply have to be outstanding and let the chips fall where thay may, while never losing sight of your ultimate goal. Who knows what opportunities might come your way? Some company out there, maybe right now or in years to come, will be the next B & M, or Intamin. Maybe you're part of it?

What is CADD?

Are you refering to CAD as in Computer Aided Design or Computer Architectual Design?

Computer Aided Design and Drafting: CADD

That was a joke. The extra D in CAD went the way of SKETCHPAD in the late 90's. We have not used the Drafting part of the acronym in the industry in years...

Hmm.......

I am taking CAD, Drafting, and planning on constuction and archieture.

Stick with it... I have been engineering using CAD programs for a while now. It is very satisfying to see something that was once modeled in 3D go to concept to reality.

I'm in the automotive industry and the only advice I can give besides practicing with math is to learn as much as you can and keep reading up on the field. Always know what programs are leading edge. The more you know the more you get paid.

If you want to become an engineer, make sure you enjoy everything that comes with the job and not just rollercoasters. Truthfully, you may not be making rollercoasters until later in your life, possibly not ever (except maybe your own backyard one.)

If you like to design things, fix stuff, make things work, etc then engineering is probably the job for you. Just don't get upset if you never get to work on a rollercoaster. But of course if you DO get to work on one, well that's just awesome then! Always strive to make it there!

And one more thing... an engineer with an imagination is the best kind of engineer! :)