The role of flight engineer was introduced in 1942 as the new heavy bombers required seven-man crews. The flight engineer controlled the aircraft’s mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and fuel systems. He also assisted the pilot with take-off and landing.
What did the flight engineer do?
Overview: The Flight Engineer is responsible for monitoring all aircraft engine and control systems while in-flight. They also perform pre-flight and post-flight inspections when the aircraft is away from home station.
Can a flight engineer fly a plane?
A flight engineer does not pilot the airplane but ensures all mechanical and technical components are working properly. They work closely with the pilot and other crew members to communicate safety, navigational and systems information.
Why did they remove flight engineers?
Elimination. Starting in the 1980s, the development of powerful and small integrated circuits and other advances in computers and digital technology eliminated the need for flight engineers on airliners and many modern military aircraft.
Is a flight engineer and a pilot the same thing?
Are Flight Engineers Pilots? A flight engineer does not pilot the aircraft. Instead, you assist the pilot by monitoring the aircraft’s instruments and performing maintenance during the flight. You are also responsible for performing a basic inspection of the engine and other mechanical systems before each flight.
What happened to flight engineers?
As flight engineers were phased out with newer aircraft, these flight engineers/pilots would either be furloughed or if their seniority allowed, they would just move up into the right seat as a 1st officer pilot. Many retired. Others went to airlines or cargo carriers that still needed flight engineers.
Why did old planes have flight engineers?
Answer: Flight engineers are responsible for operating the systems in older airplanes. Before sophisticated computers, complex systems on airplanes such as the electrical, pneumatic, fuel, and hydraulic systems required specially trained operators.
Do flight engineers see combat?
Flight engineers fly on average nine hours each mission, three to four times a week, monitoring every system on a KC-10 Extender. Fahey is an integral part of the four-man crew. Most of these crew members will only reach a few hundred combat sorties in their careers.
Do flight engineers still exist?
Today, flight engineers are still in demand by both civilian and military aviation companies.
How many years does it take to become a flight engineer?
Two years of college is considered the minimum educational requirement for flight engineers; however, most airlines prefer to hire applicants who are college graduates. In order to increase job prospects, you can acquire a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical or mechanical engineering.
How much did flight engineers make?
Flight Engineer Salaries
| Job Title | Salary |
|---|---|
| US Air Force Flight Engineer salaries – 64 salaries reported | $98,506/yr |
| US Navy Flight Engineer salaries – 16 salaries reported | $106,923/yr |
| Boeing Flight Engineer salaries – 10 salaries reported | $120,116/yr |
| US Army Flight Engineer salaries – 9 salaries reported | $94,766/yr |
Is Flight Engineering hard?
Have a commitment that you’ll pursue this career. The aviation industry is a tough one to successfully penetrate, you have to go all the way in or not at all. You have to have a firm mind to be successful in this industry and most importantly, your heart should be in your work.
Did the B 17 have a flight engineer?
The flight engineer on a B-17 was essentially a flying ground crewman. His job was to monitor mechanical operation of the aircraft.
Does a flight engineer sit in the cockpit?
Flight engineers were responsible for operating and monitoring the hydraulic, pressurization, fuel, electrical and air conditioning systems. They accomplished this from a seat in the cockpit, which sat sideways behind the pilots.
Do flight engineers make more than pilots?
The median annual salary for commercial pilots was $99,640 in 2021 while airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers earned a median salary of $202,180 according to the BLS.
Are engineers paid more than pilots?
They each pay the same for the same product or service. Some aircraft engineers will earn more than junior pilots but pilot pay increases over time with increasing seniority – I think long-haul captains are at the top of the tree in salary terms. The costs of entry to each profession are very different.
When was flight engineer phased out?
2002
The flight engineer position effectively ceased after ‘9/11’ in 2002 when the three crew 747s were grounded because of cost. The navigator was often as old as the captain, frequently with distinguished wartime experience.
How many hours do flight engineers work?
They also provide assistance to the pilot and copilot in flying the plane and may take over flying duties if necessary. Flight engineers typically work a 40-hour week, but they may be required to work overtime during busy periods or when flight schedules are disrupted by weather or other conditions.
Who is the most famous aircraft engineer?
Greatest Aerospace Engineers Of All Time
- Neil Armstrong. Neil Armstrong. Armstrong is a very well-known figure in the history of aerospace engineering.
- Wernher von Braun. Wernher von Braun.
- Robert H. Goddard.
- J. Mitchell.
- Barnes Wallis. Barnes Wallis Bouncing Bomb.
How did old planes not shoot their propellers?
A synchronization gear (also known as a gun synchronizer or interrupter gear) was a device enabling a single-engine tractor configuration aircraft to fire its forward-firing armament through the arc of its spinning propeller without bullets striking the blades.
Why was the 747 designed with a hump?
To make room for the cockpit, and to keep the plane maximally aerodynamic, there had to be a hump. Later versions of the 747 extended the hump farther back and made room for more first-class seats.