News just in from Bloomberg is that Larry Page, of Google fame, is funding not one (Zee.Aero) but two (Kitty Hawk) personalized flying-machine (dare I say flying cars?) startups. With a number of other companies pursuing the same goal, it seems a gold rush of sorts is on. Yet remember the real gold rush? The real benefactors were the pick and shovel makers. The equivalent in this flight to the future are employees with highly prized skills brought to bear on a decidedly tricky problem. And at the sharp end of those with specialized skills are...Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) experts - providing valuable insights into aerodynamics, propulsion, batteries, and electrical/electronics cooling.

Fig. 1 from Zee.Aero Patent Filing For A 'Personal Aircraft'Patent US20130214086

If you look through the career openings at these startups you will invariably see requirements for CFD specialists, either as a standalone position or as an element of another position, e.g., an aerodynamicist. CFD is a relatively low-cost enabler for all things that flow in or around an air vehicle, especially compared to the cost of physical testing. While CFD software is readily available, becoming an expert is a hard-earned skill. Being proficient and building realistic expectations for CFD, relative to its strengths and weaknesses, is a sign of an experienced CFD expert with time served in the trenches.

Fig. 5 from Zee.Aero Patent Filing For A 'Personal Aircraft'

Surely it's time to step up your game and start your journey to the future with a bankable CFD skillset.