Why do some flights have flight engineers?
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Why do some flights have flight engineers?
Answer: Flight engineers are responsible for operating the systems in older airplanes. Flight engineers were essential for the safe operation of airplanes in the past. Modern jets do not require the constant attention to systems, allowing the pilots to manage them.
Does Air Force One have a flight engineer?
On modern airplanes, many of the engineer positions have been eliminated. The present Air Force One still carries the flight engineers, but most of [the work] has been computerized.
In the olden days there used to be a navigation officer in commercial airlines who had the tasks of navigation and radio communication. But, in modern commercial airliners there is no navigation officer.
Can flight engineers pilot a plane?
Many flight engineers have their pilot’s license and could potentially fly the aircraft if absolutely necessary. Following the flight, they do a thorough inspection of the plane and ensure that all components are functioning properly. They must also submit a completed flight log of the trip.
Do KC 135 have flight engineers?
— After a career that has spanned almost four decades, the last Air Force flight engineer for the KC-135 Stratotanker is set to retire at Edwards. Master Sgt. But over the years the technology has improved and the systems in the airplane have gone to computers, so they have taken engineers and navigators out.”
When did Boeing stop using flight engineers on new planes?
A few planes that did have a flight engineer do fly today. But the common ones mostly ended production in the late 80s and service in the early 2000s. The FE was dropped when the 400 came out. So 1989/90 when they started flowing to the airlines ended the FE on New Boeing aircraft.
What is the elimination of flight engineering?
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.
Do flight engineers still work on planes?
Flight engineers can still be found on some larger fixed-wing airplanes, and helicopters. A similar crew position exists on some spacecraft. In most modern aircraft, their complex systems are both monitored and adjusted by electronic microprocessors and computers, resulting in the elimination of the flight engineer’s position.
What was the first plane with a flight engineering station?
The first commercial land airplane to include a flight engineering station was the Boeing 307 Stratoliner, but only ten were built before the onset of World War II. During the war the Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax bombers employed FEs, as these large aircraft employed only a single pilot.