# Berkay Kuşkıra Also written Berkay Kuskira. Lead Structural Analysis Engineer at Turkish Aerospace Industries. Ankara, Turkey. Website: https://kuskira.com/ · Email: berkaykuskira@gmail.com · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berkaykuskira/ ## Summary Lead Structural Analysis Engineer at Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), working on metallic and composite aircraft primary structure since 2017 (9+ years). The work covers the whole stress discipline: static strength and stability, fatigue and damage tolerance, composite and lightweight design, GFEM-based sizing and structural optimisation. Currently leads the durability and damage tolerance (DaDT) work package on a fighter-jet programme and, since late 2025, analysis method and tool development in the stress group. Earlier work covers EASA CS-23 certification stress analysis on the Hürkuş trainer (forward fuselage, and the rudder weight-reduction study), GFEM-based sizing of fighter primary structure, and preliminary landing-gear and eVTOL structural studies. Day to day that means stress reports taken through release, sizing and weight trade studies, crack-growth and fail-safe assessments, and non-conformance dispositions agreed with the loads, design and test teams. ## At a glance - 9+ Years in aerospace stress - 4 Aircraft programmes - 10 Projects & method studies - M.Sc. Solid Mechanics · ITU ## Core competencies - Static strength & stability - Fatigue & damage tolerance - Composite & lightweight design - GFEM sizing & sub-modelling - Joints & detail substantiation - FE–test correlation - Structural optimisation - Python analysis tooling ## Experience ### Method & Tool Development Engineer, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) Oct 2025 to Present, concurrent · Ankara, Turkey - Develop internal tools that automate repetitive stress-analysis work for the stress group. - Build surrogate models of expensive FE evaluations for rapid sizing trades and design-space exploration. - Write automated FE post-processing pipelines (pyNastran, Abaqus and Femap scripting) that turn raw results into margin-of-safety tables and report figures. - Standardise hand-calc workbooks and stress-report templates for reuse across programmes, with version control and input/output checks. - Work with analysts and IT to turn recurring analysis problems into tools that are actually deployed and maintained. ### Fatigue & Damage Tolerance Engineer, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) Aug 2021 to Present · Ankara, Turkey - Lead the Durability & Damage Tolerance (DaDT) work package on primary metallic and composite airframe structure of a next-generation fighter platform. - Own the DaDT analysis chain: GFEM internal-load extraction, detailed sub-models, fatigue spectrum application, crack-growth assessment and inspection-interval setting. - Write and release DaDT stress reports for fracture-critical and durability-critical parts under formal revision control and design-office sign-off. - Substantiate joints, cut-outs, fillets, fastener load transfer and other stress concentrations with detailed FE models and classical hand calculations. - Derive DaDT allowables for multiple material and configuration cases and feed them into the GFEM-based global sizing loop. - Run primary-structure trade studies on stock size, alloy selection and section topology against weight and DaDT targets. - Drive design changes that retire fatigue hot-spots without breaking the mass budget. - Disposition structural non-conformances on produced parts: repair schemes, life-impact assessments and concessions. - Mentor junior stress engineers on hand-calc and FE workflow, fatigue methodology and report standards. ### Structural Analysis Engineer, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) Sep 2017 to Aug 2021 · Istanbul, Turkey - Hürkuş trainer: substantiated metallic and composite primary structure on the Hürkuş-B forward fuselage and Hürkuş-C rudder against EASA CS-23 requirements. - Hürkuş-B: wrote the forward-fuselage certification stress report and closed authority and internal review comments through release. - Hürkuş-C: led the rudder weight-reduction study (composite lay-up resizing and hinge re-design) while keeping reserve-factor compliance. - eVTOL cargo concept: conceptual structural sizing (load-path layout, primary-mass estimation, material down-selection) for a military cargo platform. - Re-engineered structural attachments and routing supports for hydraulic and fuel-system upgrades without invalidating the original type-design substantiation. - Landing gear: built the first analysis-grade landing-gear FE model and sized strut and trunnion fittings against drop and braking load cases. - Correlated FE results with coupon and element-level test data and resolved analysis-vs-test discrepancies inside the certification report chain. ### Project Student & Intern, TEI, TUSAŞ Engine Industries Jul 2016 to Jun 2017 · Eskişehir, Turkey - B.Sc. thesis research on a gas-turbine curvic coupling: parametric FE study of tooth-flank stress and contact pressure under various load cases. - Summer internship (2016) with the engine stress and design teams. ## Projects ### Aerospace Stress analysis of metallic and composite aircraft primary structure: static and GFEM-based sizing, fatigue and damage-tolerance assessment, weight-reduction studies and structural optimisation. #### Fighter Jet, Method & Tool Development 2025 to Present · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/aerospace/fighter-jet-method-and-tool-development/ Turning the Durability & Damage Tolerance methodology of the fighter-jet programme into validated, automated engineering tools, so that methods analysts run by hand become repeatable software. - DaDT methodology codified: fatigue spectrum derivation, slow crack growth, allowables extraction and inspection-interval setting. - Automated FE post-processing pipelines (pyNastran, Abaqus / Femap scripting) that turn raw results into margin-of-safety tables and report-ready figures. - Surrogate models that approximate expensive FE evaluations for rapid sizing trades and design-space exploration. - Standardised hand-calc workbooks and stress-report templates with version control and input/output validation. Tags: Python, pyNastran, Surrogate Models, DaDT Methods, Automation #### Fighter Jet, Durability & Damage Tolerance 2021 to Present · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/aerospace/fighter-jet-durability-and-damage-tolerance/ DaDT substantiation of primary metallic and composite airframe structure on a next-generation fighter. Analysis chain runs from GFEM internal-load extraction through detailed sub-models to fatigue and crack-growth assessment, correlated against coupon and element-level test data. - GFEM-to-sub-model load extraction and detailed FE models of fatigue hot-spots. - Allowables curation across multiple material and configuration cases, feeding the global sizing loop. - DaDT stress reports authored and released through formal review. - Closed design changes that retired hot-spots without breaking the mass budget. Tags: DaDT, GFEM, MSC Nastran, Slow Crack Growth, Composites #### Hürkuş Trainer, Certification Stress Analysis 2018 to 2019 · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/aerospace/hurkus-trainer-certification-stress-analysis/ Static, fatigue and stability substantiation of metallic and composite structures on the EASA CS-23 Hürkuş trainer. Owned forward-fuselage certification analysis on the B variant and rudder weight-reduction sizing on the C variant, from FE build through reserve-factor reporting. - Hürkuş-B forward-fuselage certification stress report authored and released. - Hürkuş-C rudder lay-up revised for mass reduction, with composite strength checks. - Linear and buckling analyses in MSC Nastran / Patran. - Hand-calc workbook for joints, lugs and bolt groups. Tags: EASA CS-23, MSC Nastran, Patran, Composites, Certification #### Landing Gear, Preliminary Stress Sizing 2017 to 2018 · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/aerospace/landing-gear-preliminary-stress-sizing/ Preliminary FE model and initial stress sizing of a landing-gear assembly during pre-PDR layout. Captured ground-load distribution, pin/lug load transfer and design-driver identification ahead of detail design. - FE model of strut, trunnion and fittings consistent with the gear kinematics. - Drop and braking load-case sizing against material allowables. - Iterated stock sizes and fillet radii with the design team. - Identified fatigue-driving locations for downstream DaDT work. Tags: Landing Gear, MSC Nastran, Hand Calcs, Preliminary Sizing #### e-VTOL, Conceptual Structural Sizing 2019 to 2020 · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/aerospace/e-vtol-conceptual-structural-sizing/ Conceptual structural sizing of an e-VTOL military cargo platform: load-path layout, primary-mass estimation and material down-selection feeding the platform feasibility gate. - Parametric FE for wing-boom-rotor integration trades. - Primary-structure mass roll-up with growth allowance. - Material and joining-method down-selection. - Feasibility-report inputs on structural risk and certification basis. Tags: e-VTOL, Conceptual Design, Trade Studies ### Solid Mechanics Linear and non-linear stress analysis, topology optimisation and academic research in solid mechanics: composite laminates, bolted joints, buckling stability. #### M.Sc. Thesis, Composite Rim Optimisation (MOGA-II) 2018 to 2022 · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/solid-mechanics/m-sc-thesis-composite-rim-optimisation-moga-ii/ M.Sc. thesis at Istanbul Technical University (2022). Lightweight design of a 19-inch, 8.5-inch-wide ten-spoke automotive rim in plain-weave CFRP prepreg. The MOGA-II genetic algorithm optimises ply orientation and ply count to minimise mass and deformation while keeping the rim structurally sound under radial, cornering and torsion load cases. FE models were built in HyperMesh and solved in MSC Nastran, and the Pareto-optimal set was narrowed with multi-criteria decision methods. - Ten-spoke 19" × 8.5" automotive rim modelled in plain-weave CFRP prepreg. - MOGA-II optimisation of ply orientation and ply count against mass and deformation. - Radial, cornering and torsion load cases under structural-integrity constraints. - FE in HyperMesh and MSC Nastran; Pareto front resolved with multi-criteria decision methods. Tags: MOGA-II, CFRP, Composite Optimisation, MSC Nastran, HyperMesh, Lightweight Design View on ITU repository: https://polen.itu.edu.tr/items/ab3e8f71-abd2-401e-ba04-92cbf004a5e9 Download thesis PDF (21 MB): https://polen.itu.edu.tr/bitstreams/7bfd4acb-037a-4191-b58e-36875cc9d45f/download #### Topology Optimisation of an Aircraft Bracket 2021 · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/solid-mechanics/topology-optimisation-of-an-aircraft-bracket/ Density-based topology optimisation of a metallic bracket with manufacturing constraints, followed by detail re-meshing and non-linear FE re-validation. Used as a methodology demonstrator for mass-down studies on secondary structure. - Manufacturing-constrained density optimisation. - Detail re-mesh and non-linear FE re-validation of the optimised geometry. - Contact and material non-linearity included. - Manufacturability review closed with the design team. Tags: Topology Optimisation, Abaqus, Non-linear FEA #### Non-linear FEA of Bolted Joints 2020 · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/solid-mechanics/non-linear-fea-of-bolted-joints/ Contact-based non-linear FE study on load transfer through metallic bolted joints. Compares bearing-bypass distribution against classical hand-calc methods and lookup data. - Surface-to-surface contact and pretension modelling. - Bearing-bypass ratio extraction and reconciliation with closed-form. - Mesh and friction sensitivity study. - Hand-calc workbook reconciled with FE. Tags: Abaqus, Contact, Bolted Joints, Hand Calcs #### Composite Plate Buckling Study 2019 · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/solid-mechanics/composite-plate-buckling-study/ Linear eigenvalue and non-linear post-buckling analyses of stiffened composite panels across lay-ups and boundary conditions, used to calibrate hand-calc panel-buckling workbooks. - Eigenvalue and arc-length non-linear runs. - Lay-up and stiffener-pitch sweep. - Imperfection-sensitivity check. - Correlation with panel-buckling data. Tags: Composites, Buckling, Stiffened Panels #### B.Sc. Thesis, Curvic Coupling Parameter Study 2017 · https://kuskira.com/portfolio/solid-mechanics/b-sc-thesis-curvic-coupling-parameter-study/ Parametric FE study on the behaviour of a gas-turbine-engine curvic coupling under various loads. Mapped tooth-flank stress and contact pressure across geometry parameters to inform design selection. Tags: Gas Turbine, Curvic Coupling, Contact, FEA ## Skills ### Analysis & Substantiation - Static, Stability & Buckling Analysis - Composite Strength & Stability - GFEM Load Extraction & Sub-modelling - Durability & Damage Tolerance (DaDT) - Slow Crack Growth & Fail-Safe Analysis - Fatigue Spectrum Application - Bolted-Joint & Lug Analysis (Hand Calcs) - Non-conformance Disposition & Repair Schemes ### FEA Solvers & Pre/Post - MSC Nastran - Abaqus - ANSYS Mechanical - MSC Patran - Altair HyperMesh - CATIA V5 ### Standards & Compliance - EASA CS-23 / FAR Part 23 awareness - CS-25 / FAR 25.571 awareness - Test–analysis correlation ### Programming & Automation - Python scientific stack (NumPy, SciPy, pandas, Matplotlib) - pyNastran (Nastran deck and result parsing) - Abaqus Python scripting - Femap API / PCL (Patran Command Language) - HyperMesh Tcl/Tk scripting - Nastran DMAP & bulk-data automation - Git version control - MATLAB · Excel / VBA hand-calc workbooks ### Lightweight Design & Optimisation - Composite lay-up and ply-count optimisation - Topology optimisation with manufacturing constraints - Weight-reduction trade studies (stock, alloy, section topology) - Conceptual sizing and primary-mass estimation - Multi-objective optimisation (MOGA-II, NSGA-II, pymoo) - Surrogate models for FE acceleration - Design of Experiments (DoE) & response surfaces - scikit-learn (regression and life-prediction models) ### Engineering Leadership - DaDT work package lead (planning and review) - Mentoring of junior stress engineers - Stress-report authoring & release control - Design-review representation (PDR / CDR) - Cross-team coordination with Loads, Design, Test and Manufacturing ## Education ### M.Sc. in Solid Mechanics, Istanbul Technical University Feb 2018 to Jul 2022 · Istanbul, Turkey · GPA 3.69 / 4.00 Thesis: Optimization of CFRP Prepreg Composite Rim by Using MOGA-II Genetic Algorithm (https://polen.itu.edu.tr/items/ab3e8f71-abd2-401e-ba04-92cbf004a5e9, handle hdl.handle.net/11527/25166) Courses: Finite Element Analysis in Engineering, Theory of Elasticity, Foundations of Solid Mechanics, Failure Analysis, Fatigue of Materials and Structures, Engineering Mathematics, Advanced Topics in Materials Handling, Introduction to Computer Aided Engineering ### B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, Specialty: Structure, Yıldız Technical University 2012 to 2017 · Istanbul, Turkey · GPA 3.55 / 4.00 Thesis: Behavior of a Gas Turbine Engine Curvic Coupling Parameters Under Various Loads · TEI undergraduate research ### Erasmus+ Exchange, Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology 2015 to 2016 · Brno, Czech Republic ## Languages - Turkish: Native - English: Professional working proficiency (C1) ## Selected reading ### Stress & Structures - Analysis and Design of Flight Vehicle Structures, E. F. Bruhn - Airframe Stress Analysis and Sizing, Michael Chun-Yung Niu - Airframe Structural Design, Michael Chun-Yung Niu - Aircraft Structures for Engineering Students, T. H. G. Megson ### Fatigue & Fracture - Fatigue of Structures and Materials, Jaap Schijve - Fatigue of Materials, Subra Suresh - Fracture Mechanics, Fundamentals and Applications, T. L. Anderson ### Composites - Composite Airframe Structures, Michael Chun-Yung Niu - Stress Analysis of Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials, Michael W. Hyer - CMH-17, Composite Materials Handbook ### Finite Element Method - Finite Element Procedures, Klaus-Jürgen Bathe - An Introduction to the Finite Element Method, J. N. Reddy ### Allowables & Data - MMPDS, Metallic Materials Properties Development and Standardization - ESDU Data Sheets ## Interests Music, Theatre acting, Board games. ## Contact - Email: berkaykuskira@gmail.com - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berkaykuskira/ - Website: https://kuskira.com/ - Contact form: https://kuskira.com/contact/