Flight Engineers (Second Officers) monitor instrument gages, controls, and meters, and make pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight inspections, adjustments, and minor repairs to ensure the safe and efficient operation of aircraft.

Job Duties

Flight Engineers may:

Inspect aircraft before takeoff for defects and malfunctions according to a pre-flight checklist

Check passenger and cargo distribution and the amount of fuel to make sure that weight and balance

specifications are met

Check current weather reports

Monitor control panels to verify aircraft performance

Regulate engine speed according to the instructions of the pilot

Make in-flight repairs, such as replacing fuses, adjusting instruments, and freeing jammed flight control cables, using hand tools

Take emergency measures to compensate for equipment failure

Keep records of fuel used and of engine performance

Record malfunctions which were not corrected during flight

Report needed repairs to ground maintenance personnel or making repairs on completion of the flight

Use firearms under a voluntary basis to defend against a terrorist attempt

The tools, equipment, and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

621.261-018 FLIGHT ENGINEERS monitor instrument gages, controls, and meters, and make preflight, in-flight, and post flight inspections, adjustments, and minor repairs to ensure the safe and efficient operation of aircraft.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following Career Exploration Scripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Flight Engineers are members of a flight crew which consists of the pilot, co-pilot, and Flight Engineer. When necessary, they may also work with ground maintenance personnel. Flight Engineers receive direct supervision from both the pilot and co-pilot.

While in flight, Flight Engineers work in a comfortable, although confined, cockpit area surrounded by instruments and switches. They may also be required to make repairs in cramped quarters while in flight. Flight Engineers must contend with the hazard of flying in all kinds of weather. They must also contend with the noise of airplane engines.

Hours are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and may not be more than 85 hours a month in domestic flying or 300 to 350 hours each three months on international flights. They may also spend time performing duties before and after flights. Engineers may be required to work nights, weekends, or holidays.

Flight personnel work out of a "home" base which is usually one of the large cities on the main airline routes. Flight Engineers often have a scheduled route which they make regularly. They may fly to their destination and return "home" the same day, or they may have a layover in some distant American or foreign city for several hours. Bad weather conditions may extend a layover into one or more days.

Most Flight Engineers belong to one or more associations. These may include the Airline Pilots Association, International or the Flight Engineers' International Association. Association members pay dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Doing work which involves machines and techniques

You Should Be Able To:

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often

• React quickly and appropriately under pressure

• Work within precise limits or standards of accuracy

• Use logical step-by-step procedures in your work

• Apply mathematics, such as computing fuel consumption

• Perceive detail in written material or tables

• Make decisions based on measurable information

• Communicate well and understand technical words

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

A plane travels 100 kilometers in 1.5 hours. What is the plane's velocity?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

As we have seen, speed, like the distance it incorporates, is a scalar quantity--it has magnitude only. Another quantity used to describe motion is velocity.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write an explanation of a malfunction to the maintenance crew.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide, quickly, what to do during times of malfunctions.

Flight Engineers must be licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration . The most common method is to complete a course of ground and flight instruction approved by the FAA. For a Flight Engineer's certificate, individuals must have had either 2 years of training or 3 years of work experience in the repair of aircraft and aircraft engines and at least 5 hours of flight training in the duties of a Flight Engineer, or at least 200 hours of flight as a pilot of a four-engine piston or jet plane, or 100 hours as a Flight Engineer in the armed forces.

Applicants must pass a drug screening test before they are hired and Flight Engineers are subject to random drug screening procedures through their employer.

College graduates with degrees in aeronautical, electrical, or mechanical engineering; at least 6 months experience in maintaining multi-engine aircraft; and at least 5 hours of flight training in the duties of a Flight Engineer may also qualify.

Applicants for a Flight Engineer's certificate must be at least 21; be able to read, speak, and understand the English language; hold a second class medical certificate; and pass written and flight tests. However, most airlines require applicants to be at least 21, hold a first class medical certificate, and hold a commercial pilot's certificate with instrument rating. Applicants might be required to have an FCC restricted radio- telephone operator's permit.

[back to top]

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: A Certificate (program of up to one years of study beyond High School) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond High School) or a Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in this Career Exploration Script:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1200 ELECTRONICS , 2200 MATH , 2900 SCIENCE , 3200 TECHNICAL DRAWING , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this Career Exploration Script,

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

017 AVIATION TECHNOLOGY

Programs in Aviation Technology provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in the operation and maintenance of aircraft.

Courses will vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this Career Exploration Script,

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

Please check the Military website at http://www.myfuture.com .

FLIGHT ENGINEERS

The military operates thousands of airplanes and helicopters. Pilots and air crew member rely upon trained personnel to keep aircraft ready to fly. Flight engineers inspect airplanes and helicopters before, during, and after flights to ensure safe and efficient operations. They also serve as crew members aboard military aircraft.

What They Do

Flight engineers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Inspect aircraft before and after flights, following pre- and post-flight checklists

• Plan and monitor the loading of passengers, cargo, and fuel

• Assist pilots in engine start-up and shut-down

• Compute aircraft load weights and fuel distribution

• Compute fuel consumption using airspeed data, charts, and calculators

• Monitor engine instruments and adjust engine controls following pilot orders

• Check fuel, pressure, electrical, and other aircraft systems during flight

• Inform pilot of aircraft performance problems and recommend corrective action

Physical Demands

Flight engineers, like pilots and navigators, have to be mentally alert and physically sound to perform their job. They must be in top physical shape and pass a special physical exam to qualify for flight duty.

Special Requirements

Although there are women flight engineers in the military, some specialties in this occupation are open only to men.

Work Environment

Flight engineers live and work on air bases or aboard ships in all area of the world. They fly in hot and cold climates and in all types of weather.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include general mathematics and shop mechanics. Helpful attributes include:

• Skill in using wiring diagrams and maintenance manuals

• Interest in working with mechanical systems and equipment

• Strong desire to fly

• Ability to work as a member of a team

Training Provided

Job training consists of 17 to 24 weeks of classroom instruction and practical experience in aircraft inspection. Course content typically includes:

• Operation of electronic, pressure, and fuel systems

• Inspection of aircraft engines, structures, and systems

• Operation of aircraft engine instrument controls

• Preparation of aircraft performance records and logs

Further training occurs on the job during flight operations.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian flight engineers work for passenger and cargo airline companies. They perform the same duties as in the military.

Opportunities

The services have about 3,000 flight engineers., They need  new flight engineers each year. After receiving their "air crew qualified" rating, they are assigned to an airplane or helicopter flying unit. With experience, they work more independently and may supervise or train others. They have the opportunity to become flight engineer chiefs or air crew chiefs.

  E-Learning Courses and Programs  

[back to top]

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Individuals may explore the field of aviation through the military service or by joining such groups as the Air Scouts or the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AFROTC). Students in middle and high school may participate in Aviation Career Education Camps (ACE) sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration.  Postsecondary programs in aviation technology may offer opportunities for experience as well.

             School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Flight Engineer employer

internships

volunteer work with a Flight Engineer employer

community service work with an agency

Methods of becoming a Flight Engineer include applying directly to airlines and consulting aviation trade associations and college placement offices. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

[back to top]

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of experienced Flight Engineers are based on a percentage of the pilot's earnings, which depends on the number of hours, miles, and type of plane flown. The usual minimum hours flown are 62 per month, the maximum is 85.

In early 2006, entry-level unionized Flight Engineers earned from $23,000 to $61,000 per year with major airlines. Usually, a Flight Engineer's earnings are based on a percentage of the flight captain's pay. This percentage ranges between 43.5 and 90.8 depending on the Flight Engineer's seniority.  The median yearly earnings of "all" workers in the U.S. were $33,852 in 2005.

Depending on the employer, most Flight Engineers receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay. Engineers and their families may receive free or reduced-rate flights. Most airlines provide a monthly cleaning allowance for uniforms and payment for travel expenses during flight layovers. Some employers may offer stock purchase or savings plans for salaried workers.

Promotions usually depend on experience and seniority provisions established by union contracts. Flight Engineers may become co-pilots within a year. It usually takes from 7-12 years to become a pilot or captain depending on size of airline and individual seniority. Flight Engineers in their second or third year might advance from small jet aircraft to larger aircraft. Advancement for Flight Engineers without pilot qualifications can mean working routes and schedules that they consider more desirable.

[back to top]

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, There were about  57,100 Flight Engineers who held FAA certificates in 2005. However, many of them were not employed.  Employment in this occupation is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2014. A few openings are expected each year as Flight Engineers retire, die, or transfer to other lines of work.

Some airlines are eliminating the position of Flight Engineer from the flight crew as a cost-cutting move and because of computerized gages, controls, and meters that make up the flight engineering system. This policy will cause a decline in the total number of Flight Engineers employed. Another factor affecting the decline of Flight Engineers is the elimination of less profitable airline routes.

There are about 925 Flight Engineers with FAA certificates in Michigan. All Flight Engineers worked in the air transportation industry. Most Flight Engineers were employed by the major airlines, most of which had home bases outside of Michigan. Some also worked for smaller regional airlines, air cargo services, and governmental agencies. A few Flight Engineers were employed by large businesses which had their own corporate airplanes.

Employment of Flight Engineers in Michigan is expected to decrease..   Some additional openings will occur as Flight Engineers transfer to other jobs or occupations.

Demand for Flight Engineers depends on airline growth and a healthy national economy. Currently, the number of Flight Engineers exceeds the demand, and with the use of larger planes that carry more passengers, the need for new Flight Engineers will remain low. The use of new computerized flight engineering systems, however, will limit the number of new positions available. Competition for jobs is expected to be keen.

[back to top]

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

  Copyright © 2006 Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth