My decision to apply to the postgraduate program at the University of Toronto’s Institute for Aerospace Studies is a culmination of my lifelong passion for aeronautics. I first fell in love with airplanes when I was five years old. Living in a house very close to an airport, I remember standing on the open roof under the scorching sun and waiting for the airplanes to pass overhead. Before I wrote the alphabet correctly, I had gained a sense of the differences between the sleek, swift fighter jets and the monster cargo planes with their broad shoulder wings and how they looked and sounded so different. However, I was not very sure why these great things did not fall from the sky. Those ‘angry angels’ captured my soul. At eight, I tried to make my first airplane from aluminum cans and reeds. My first crude models could never fly despite my enthusiasm, but that did not stop my imagination or passion. As I grew older, I started building radio-controlled model aircraft, which was my first introduction to the primary rules of aerodynamics. My family was amused by my obsessive interest in aircraft but assumed this was merely a temporary and harmless hobby. However, aeronautics was to remain an area of passionate interest to me and to become central in my leisure activities, academic work, choices, and professional life.

 Therefore, it was natural for me to choose Aeronautical Engineering as my major when I entered the University of Technology in Baghdad in the mid-1980s and was awarded my bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1989. In contrast with present-day Iraq, known primarily for constant strife and instability, the Iraq of the 1980s was among the most advanced Arab Gulf states and rapidly developing. At the time, many large-scale infrastructure projects, significant industrial development, and scientific and technical human resources were expanded. The education system of this period was similarly advanced to qualify the next generation of engineers and scientists who could continue this development. Although the history of this country took an unfortunate turn and this development did not continue long-term, the education that I received was, in hindsight, among the best available in the region, or anywhere in the world for that matter. My university and Iraqi educational institutions generally had a good and growing international reputation. The situation has changed somewhat since my student days. Still, I wish to emphasize that I acquired a sound theoretical and scientific basis for my work and studies undertaken since that time.

 After graduation, I had the opportunity to work as an assistant aeronautical engineer in a program that specialized in developing and testing experimental UAVs. Those years allowed me to gain a firm grasp of practical aeronautics, involved me in the design and construction methods process, and provided me with a realistic theory test. Years later, I worked as a maintenance engineer in a flight training center, developing a different technical aspect of aeronautical engineering and enriching my perception of aviation technology. After continuous warfare had destroyed the infrastructure of the aerospace industry in that part of the world, I made a tough choice. I decided to work in installing gas turbine units in oilfields, often in a very remote, harsh, and insecure, one of the most challenging jobs on earth. Although I had more convenient, rewarding, and safer options at the time, I chose this tough job to maintain a connection with my favorite original discipline through the relatively parallel engineering concepts between turbomachinery and aeronautics. Yet that practice provided me with the experience of working for German and other international companies that applies strict and supreme standards of a sophisticated industry.

 In the meantime, I maintained my academic knowledge by constantly referring to my textbooks and updated sources of aeronautical engineering knowledge while patiently waiting for the day when I could pursue higher education.  With diligence and persistence, I have overcome challenging obstacles that could have diverted my path away from aeronautical engineering. Today I finally see the opportunity to "get on the right track" and wish wholeheartedly to do so. My goal is to enhance and formalize my aeronautical engineering knowledge and skills in a prestigious institution and to assist in turning good ideas into practical reality by making significant contributions to aerospace projects.

 In addition to studying Aeronautical Engineering, I enriched my comprehension of aviation by learning to fly in my home country as a safety pilot in 1987. I was happy to be able to use my flying skills in the evacuation efforts during a flooding crisis that occurred in Iraq in 1989. I resumed my activity as a pilot in Canada. I have received my Canadian private pilot license and am currently working on the Canadian commercial pilot licensing. In flying, I have found an invaluable teaching aid where theory can become a reality, which is one of the great joys of the subject.

 I came to Canada to start a new and productive life for myself and my family. This country presents me with the opportunity to resume the pursuit of my professional and educational objectives. I believe that the value of someone’s life lies in their contribution to the good of all. I have always felt that aeronautics is the field where I can give my best and where I make a positive contribution to this society. I believe that joining UXXX will allow me to realize my potential and apply my skills and passion to advancing aerospace technology.

 My particular areas of interest are; Flight Dynamics, Aircraft Design, Flight Simulation, and Air-Breathing Propulsion. I have several ideas that I believe are worthy of investigation and development. One idea, for instance, relates to the aerodynamics of the lift coupling. I think there is an intriguing potential for using multiple interacting airfoils to achieve higher aerodynamic performance than the traditional single airfoil. I am also interested in exploring the possibility of developing a variable-airfoil plane where a ‘flex-wing’ is enabled to change its airfoil section in response to the flight conditions. I believe this can be a realistic design in light of the continuous introduction of superior composite materials. Another subject of my interest is to introduce standardized aerodynamic formulae for the tri-plane configuration (foreplane-wing-tail), so they can be readily adopted in general aviation designs. As a motivating field, I would also like to mention the promising potential in UAVs and drones that can open new horizons for exotic aerodynamics. My application to join the UXXX program is an aspiration to acquire the advanced knowledge that would enable me to contribute to developing some of these inspiring engineering concepts.

 I am well-traveled and have happily studied, worked, and socialized with people from many cultural and social backgrounds. I have worked in many task teams and experienced the power of cooperation and the shared joy of accomplishment. I appreciate the dynamics of a successful team and the skills of collaborative work with others to reach a common goal.

I look forward to extending this experience in the program. I also believe that my substantial experience in project management has equipped me with the planning, analytical and organizational skills that enable me to undertake a productive role in the program.

 I know that there will be many well-qualified applicants for this program. However, I genuinely believe that I am an exceptional candidate. I hold a good degree in the specialty; I have significant professional experience relevant to the program from varied yet critical aspects, including aeronautical design, aviation maintenance, gas turbine installations, and qualified pilot experience; this background will enable me to provide valuable insights to my specialty; I have kept in touch with developments in the subject and consider myself to be fully abreast of them; I have the skills, characteristics and management background that will enable me to conduct constructive scientific work. I aspire to update my professional knowledge and earn advanced qualifications in a rigorous academic environment filled with people similarly inspired by aeronautics' marvels.  For this reason, I am applying for admission to the University of Toronto’s Institute for Aerospace Studies. And I am confident that, if granted access, I will be among the most passionate and dedicated students joining this prestigious program. My main recommendation is a genuine passion for the subject of the program and a degree of motivation that, I am confident, will enable me to excel within it.

 Thank you for considering my application.