The Department of Aeronautical Engineering aims to educate engineers in the design and manufacturing of new aircraft types that will advance Turkey's aviation industry, as well as in the maintenance and repair of military and civil aircraft. The department also conducts research and applied studies in fields related to aircraft and aviation.

The department was founded in 1941 as a branch within the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and became a full department in 1944. It subsequently joined the Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics upon its establishment and continues to operate within it today. The department currently has 9 Professors, 4 Associate Professors, 7 Assistant Professors, 2 Lecturers and 19 Research Assistants — 41 academic staff in total. To date, approximately 1,269 students have graduated from the programme, and 493 undergraduate students are currently enrolled across the preparatory class and years 1 through 4. Every year, 50 students who score in the top 3 percentile of the national university entrance exam are admitted.