MARA JUNIOR

SCIENCE COLLEGE
BALING,
09100 BALING,
KEDAH DARUL AMAN
CAREER
(FLIGHT ENGINEER)

NAME

MUHAMMAD SYAFIQ BIN MOHD NADZRI

CLASS

5 JUNAYD

HOMEROOM

RUHAYAH

COLLEGE NO.

14577

CAREER TEACHER :

CIKGU IJAN

IMPLICATION OF WORK:Different companies will have different cultures, and some will be more or less
structured, diverse, interdisciplinary, or open than others. Flight Engineer(FE) might
add that while small organizations are typically preconceived as offering more
freedom, it is not necessarily true that you won't find room for creativity or freedom in
large ones. So, with that being said, FEs perspective is from their involvement in an
advanced design group as a design loads engineer for a very active company that
designs and manufactures turbine aircraft for business/private applications. The
engineering department at this company has a staff of something like 1,500.
A significant portion of the work FE do involves early design, where a lot is still only
on paper. As a loads engineer, one of the most important functions is to provide
design data to structural design groups to serve as guidance on how to size airframe
structure for safe flight. Meeting this goal requires good prediction of aircraft
performance, which involves lots of physics modeling, flight simulations (not the
graphical kind), a ton of aerodynamic data, as well as a myriad of other types of
design data. Naturally, most of this stuff is done on computers, so FE tend to spend
most of my time in a cubicle, though I do get chances now and then to go and see
real aircraft. But the work is exciting to them. FE love the fast-paced, alwayschanging, intense nature of the design cycle. FE love the all-hands-on-deck
teamwork mentality, where everybody is super-skilled in their specialty. It is always
exciting when you see that you are driving design or solving a real problem. It is
even more exciting when you get to see something that you worked on take flight for
the first time.
The people FE work with are extremely diverse and come from a huge range of
backgrounds and nationalities; it often feels like some version of the United Nations
when I consider the number of different cultures represented. Of course, some
companies are more willing than others to sponsor employees, and you won't
typically find non-US persons if you are involved in sensitive defense work. FE find it

refreshing to work with a group of such talented and competent individuals. There is
plenty of social interaction. There are opportunities to chat, but even while catching
up, these times can be invaluable for bouncing ideas off of each other, especially if
you are both into nerdy debates. FE really like my environment and feel it is very
laid-back and friendly. Outside of work, FE often meet up with colleagues for a movie
or someone's birthday, or just to have some good conversation. FE greatly enjoy
their work but enjoy the company of their colleagues just as much. They think both
are equally important for creating a great work environment.
As for work/life balance, FE think engineering is just about right; they sometimes tell
friends in other industries that work has been very busy, only to find that their idea of
busy doesn't even qualify to them. Sometimes a deadline will pop up and they
might have to put in a few extra hours the week or two before, but in practice, this
has only ever happened to then once a year, and they have been through nearly a
dozen different aircraft programs over the years.
This career does not affect FE negatively at all, and in fact, they might even be
caught saying that they find it fun at times :-). To them personally, there are some
departments that they don't think they would enjoy nearly as much, and perhaps
others would say the same thing about what they dothis has a lot to do with how
well the work matches your traits and interests. But the important thing is that they
feel like they am challenged almost everyday, and the problems they work on are
very broad and rarely repetitive. Some of that might be due to their position as a
loads engineer working in design, which can involve multiple disciplines on almost
any portion of the entire aircraft, but also because of the relative freedom they have
to create solutions to problems.
FE have always had a lot of freedom to write thier own tools and their own programs,
and even more so if it would promise to speed up a process or reduce the propensity
for errors. It can be really thrilling when you come up with a process that drastically
improves on an old one. Of course, sometimes program schedules mean that you
won't have the time to do things in a way you feel is best, but crunch time always
subsides. You can get as creative as you want, but remember that the primary
focuses are materially enhancing capabilities or solving a real problem. They had

friends that coded up programs with fancy graphical visualizations and novel
algorithms, and have found great success in them. Sometimes an idea you have
won't sound great on paper, so you might just have to code it up for people to see
what you mean.
Whether or not you will travel really depends. If you deal with field issues, the
implications of that are obvious. Being in an aerodynamics group, sometimes we
have an opportunity to go and help out on a wind tunnel test, which are almost
always overseas in Europe if good high-speed data is required, but this isn't
something that would happen for a new-hires first few years at least. There are
many other cases where people involved in aerodynamics, acoustics, control
systems, or flight test were required to take a short round-trip jaunt in an aircraft to
diagnose an issue involving whatever part required their expertiseyou never knew.
There are others involved in production engineering or structural testing who do a lot
of walking around amongst real hardware, which is sort of like traveling in
comparison to a desk job.
Given their knowledge, they couldn't tell you a lot about how is to work in a large
defense company, or for an extremely large airframer, like Boeing, but hopefully you
have a good idea of what it's like to work for a medium-large aircraft company.
P.S. If you are interested in aerospace, you may be interested in reading some of my
other answers. There are also a few answers I've written that cover things like
schools, finding jobs, or the importance of programming and the usefulness of
various languages in engineering.

Nature of the Work

Flight engineers, sometimes called second officers, play almost as important
a part in flying large aircraft as do pilots and co-pilots. Although they rarely take the
controls to fly planes, flight engineers have many other responsibilities both on the
ground and onboard aircraft.
Before a flight, the flight engineer inspects the outside of the plane to make
sure there are no fluid leaks and that tires are inflated properly. If any problems are
found, the engineer calls in mechanics to repair the plane.

Inside the aircraft, the flight engineer helps the pilot and co-pilot check the
operation of more than a hundred instruments, including fuel gauges, oil pressure
indicators, and switches to control wing flaps and landing gear. The flight engineer
must also review the flight course and weather patterns to determine how much fuel
should be loaded on the plane. If a plane is going to fly with a tailwind, it will need
much less fuel than if it is going to be flying into a strong head wind.
Once the plane is airborne, the engineer advises the pilot, or captain, of any
problems. The engineer monitors the instruments and may make minor repairs, such
as replacing fuses. The flight engineer also records fuel consumption during the flight
and makes note of the performance of the engines.
After the plane has landed, the flight engineer inspects the plane again to
make sure all equipment is functioning properly. If problems arose during the flight,
the engineer reports them to the mechanics. The last task is to turn in the flight log of
the trip.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) now requires that most three- and
four-engine airplanes and two-engine jet airplanes have flight engineers. Therefore,
almost all flight engineers work for the major airlines that fly many large planes.
Flight engineers are usually based in large cities that have major airports. Many are
stationed in New York, California, Florida, Illinois, and Texas.
The flight engineer ("Air Engineer" in the Royal Air Force) is primarily
concerned with the operation and monitoring of all aircraft systems, and is required to
diagnose and where possible rectify or eliminate any faults that may arise. On most
multi-engine airplanes, the FE sets and adjusts engine power during take off, climb,
cruise, go-arounds, or at any time the pilot flying (PF) requests a specific power
setting to be set during the approach phase. The FE sets and monitors major
systems, including fuel, pressurization and air conditioning, hydraulic, electrics
(engine driven generators,auxiliary power units), gas turbine compressor/air turbine
motor (APU, GTC, ATM), ice and rain protection (engine and nacelle anti-ice, window
heat, probe heater), oxygen, fire and overheat protection of all systems, liquid
cooling system (Boeing E-3), draw through cooling system (Boeing E-3), forced air
cooling system (Boeing E-3), and powered flying controls.

FEs are also responsible for preflight and postflight aircraft inspections, and
ensuring that the weight and balance of the aircraft is correctly calculated to ensure
the centre of gravity is within limits. On airplanes where the FE's station is located on
the same flight deck just aft of the two pilots (all western three/four -man deck
airplanes), they also monitor aircraft flight path, speed, and altitude. A significant
portion of their time is spent cross checking pilot selections. The flight engineer is the
systems expert of the airplane with an extensive mechanical and technical
knowledge of aircraft systems and aircraft performance. On some military airplanes
(C-5, E-3, KC-10) the FE sits behind the co-pilot in the cockpit, facing outboard to
operate a panel of switches, gauges and indicators or forward to operate throttles,
lighting controls, flight controls. On the Tupolev Tu-134 the flight engineer sits in the
nose of the aircraft. On other western military airplanes, such as on the P-3
Orion and C-130H, FEs sit between, slightly aft of (and, in the case of the C-130A-H
models, slightly higher than) the pilots. On the P-3 Orion and E-3 Sentry the FE is
responsible for starting and shutting down engines at the start and end of each flight,
and also during in-flight shutdowns which are carried out to save fuel on long range
operations. In some militaries, the aircraft's FE is also authorised to make and certify
repairs to the aircraft when it is away from its base. This can eliminate the need for
technical repair crews to accompany the aircraft on short deployments.
On civilian airplanes the FE is positioned so that he can monitor the forward
instruments, pilot selections and adjust the thrust levers located on the centre
pedestal; the FE's chair can travel forward and aft and it can swivel laterally 90
degrees, which enables him/her to face forward and set the engine power, then
move aft and rotate sideways to monitor and set the systems panel. The FE is the
aircraft systems expert onboard and responsible for troubleshooting and suggesting
solutions to in-flight emergencies and abnormal technical conditions, as well as
computing takeoff and landing data. The FE's seat on modern aircraft has a
complete range of motion (side to side, forward to aft, swivel, up and down) to
accommodate the many positions required to monitor and operate the aircraft
systems.
The basic philosophy of a three man flight deck in many flight operations,
should an abnormality or emergency arise, is for the Captain to hand over the actual

flying of the aircraft to the First Officer (co-pilot). The Captain and flight engineer
together review and carry out the necessary actions required to contain and rectify
the problem. This spreads the workload and ensures a system of cross-checking
which maximizes safety. The Captain is the manager and decision maker (Pilot Not
Flying, PNF), the First Officer/co-pilot is the actual flier of the aircraft (Pilot Flying,
PF), and the FE reads the check-lists and executes actions required under the
auspices of the Captain (PNF). There can be occasions when the roles of the pilots
during an emergency are reversed, i.e. the copilot becomes the PNF and the
Captain becomes the PF; one such example was on the A300 B-Series aircraft when
there was a complete loss of generator-supplied electrical power, whereupon the
standby instruments that were powered were on the Captain's side only, requiring
the Captain to be PF and the PNF and flight engineer to resolve the issue.
During World War II many U.S. bomber aircraft incorporated a flight
engineer's position. However, this position also doubled as a gunner, usually
operating the upper turret, as was the case of the Boeing B-17. On some commercial
airliners with a flight engineer, the FE is the third in command, after the Captain
and First Officer.

Need by Society and Community:-

After September 11, 2001, air travel was severely depressed. A number of the
major airlines were forced to reduce schedules, layoff employees, and even declare
bankruptcy. At the same time, hiring continued at regional and low-fare airlines. It is
expected that job opportunities will continue to be better with the regional airlines
and low-fare carriers, which are growing faster than the more well-known major
airlines. Opportunities with air cargo carriers also are expected to be good due to
increasing security requirements for shipping freight on passenger airlines and
growth in e-business.
The passenger airline industry is undergoing many changes, with some
airlines posting increases in passenger traffic and adding routes while others are
cutting back. Overall, the employment of aircraft pilots is projected to increase about
as fast as average for all occupations through 2012. In the long run, demand for air
travel is expected to track increases in the population and growth of the economy. In
the short run, however, employment of pilots is generally sensitive to cyclical swings
in the economy. During recessions, when a decline in the demand for air travel
forces airlines to curtail the number of flights, airlines may temporarily furlough some
pilots.
The number of flight engineers is projected to decline through 2012 as new
planes needing only two pilots replace older planes that required flight engineers.
Pilots also will experience some productivity improvements as airlines switch to
larger planes and adopt the low-fare carrier model that emphasizes faster turn
around times for flights, keeping more pilots in the air rather than waiting on the
ground.

Pilots are jobless in Malaysia but Aircraft Maintenance personnel are

in demand
it costs about RM250,000 to study to become a pilot in Malaysia however according a
report in The Star on August 4, 2012, there are 1,100 pilot graduates unemployed and the
situation remained the same in another report on October 2012. While this is happening,
another area of the airlines is increasing in demand. MRO or known as Maintenance
Repair and Overhaul is predicted to be one of the countrys promising industries with a

forecast value of USD65billion by 2020. This means that graduates in the Diploma in
Aircraft Maintenance are able to find jobs easily.

According to observers, this industry growth is underpinned by the rapid fleet

modernization, global air cargo market and growth in air travel across
the region.In Malaysia, low cost air travel is becoming an important driver of the
countrys tourism and is made evident by the growing number of airlines being
housed by the countrys terminals KLIA and LCCT.
This market however could face shortage of aircraft technicians and engineers in the
next decade.
American plane maker, Boeing forecasts that global demand for aircraft technicians
and engineers will hit 243,500 by 2030. In Southeast Asia alone, about 67,400
technicians will be needed. Statistics for the demand is based on the number of
aircraft each company has, new aircraft orders and new airports being built in the
region.
Boeing was quoted saying that airlines in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the
Philippines have placed orders for hundreds of planes over the past year.
Addressing MRO industry needs by providing talented
The affordability of air travel has led to a significant growth in the air carrier industry,
creating a huge demand for aircraft maintenance staff. Suitably qualified personnel,
especially those allowed to certify aircraft worthiness, command high salaries and
are highly sought after.
Realising the huge potential MRO can bring, Nilai University was among the first
institutions in the country to offer a Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance
Engineering whose syllabus prepares students for the all-important European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) B1-1 license examinations. This programme is your
passport to certifying aircraft worthiness as the diploma incorporates the European
Aviation Safety Agency* (EASA) syllabus, preparing you for the EASA Part 66
Category B1-1 license examinations. You sit for the EASA license examination at the
same time you pursue your diploma course at Nilai University, which is a validated
EASA examination second site.

Entry, Training And Prospects:

In order to get flight engineers license, someone have to fulfil the requirements.

1)FAA Flight Engineer Requirements:

14 CFR PART 63
Sec. 63.31 Eligibility requirements; general.
To be eligible for a flight engineer certificate, a person must-(a) Be at least 21 years of age;
(b) Be able to read, speak, and understand the English language, or have an
appropriate limitation placed on his flight engineer certificate;
(c) Hold at least a second-class medical certificate issued under Part 67 of this
chapter within the 12 months before the date he applies, or other evidence of
medical qualification accepted for the issue of a flight engineer certificate under Sec.
63.42; and
(d) Comply with the requirements of this subpart that apply to the rating he seeks.
Sec. 63.33 Aircraft ratings.
(a) The aircraft class ratings to be placed on flight engineer certificates are-(1) Reciprocating engine powered;
(2) Turbo propeller powered; and
(3) Turbojet powered. (b) To be eligible for an additional aircraft class rating after his
flight engineer certificate with a class rating is issued to him, an applicant must pass
the written test that is appropriate to the class of airplane for which an additional
rating is sought, and-- (1) Pass the flight test for that class of aircraft; or (2)
Satisfactorily complete an approved flight engineer training program that is
appropriate to the additional class rating sought.
Sec. 63.35 Knowledge requirements.
(a) An applicant for a flight engineer certificate must pass a written test on the
following:

(1) The regulations of this chapter that apply to the duties of a flight engineer.
(2) The theory of flight and aerodynamics.
(3) Basic meteorology with respect to engine operations.
(4) Center of gravity computations.
(b) An applicant for the original or additional issue of a flight engineer class rating
must pass a written test for that airplane class on the following:
(1) Preflight.
(2) Airplane equipment.
(3) Airplane systems.
(4) Airplane loading.
(5) Airplane procedures and engine operations with respect to limitations.
(6) Normal operating procedures.
(7) Emergency procedures.
(8) Mathematical computation of engine operations and fuel consumption.
(c) Before taking the written tests prescribed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section,
an applicant for a flight engineer certificate must present satisfactory evidence of
having completed one of the experience requirements of Sec. 63.37. However, he
may take the written tests before acquiring the flight training required by Sec. 63.37.
(d) An applicant for a flight engineer certificate or rating must have passed the written
tests required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section since the beginning of the
24th calendar month before the month in which the flight is taken. However, this
limitation does not apply to an applicant for a flight engineer certificate or rating if-(1) The applicant-(i) Within the period ending 24 calendar months after the month in which the
applicant passed the written test, is employed as a flight crewmember or mechanic
by a U.S. air carrier or commercial operator operating either under Part 121 or as a
commuter air carrier under Part 135 (as defined in Part 298 of this title) and is
employed by such a certificate holder at the time of the flight test;
(ii) If employed as a flight crewmember, has completed initial training, and, if
appropriate, transition or upgrade training; and
(iii) Meets the recurrent training requirements of the applicable part or, for
mechanics, meets the recency of experience requirements of Part 65; or

(2) Within the period ending 24 calendar months after the month in which the
applicant passed the written test, the applicant participated in a flight engineer or
maintenance training program of a U.S. scheduled military air transportation service
and is currently participating in that program.
(e) An air carrier or commercial operator with an approved training program under
Part of this chapter may, when authorized by the Administrator, provide as part of
that program a written test that it may administer to satisfy the test required for an
additional rating under paragraph (b) of this section.
Sec. 63.37 Aeronautical experience requirements.
(a) Except as otherwise specified therein, the flight time used to satisfy the
aeronautical experience requirements of paragraph (b) of this section must have
been obtained on an airplane-(1) On which a flight engineer is required by this chapter; or
(2) That has at least three engines that are rated at least 800 horsepower each or
the equivalent in turbine-powered engines.
(b) An applicant for a flight engineer certificate with a class rating must present, for
the class rating sought, satisfactory evidence of one of the following:
(1) At least 3 years of diversified practical experience in aircraft and aircraft engine
maintenance (of which at least 1 year was in maintaining multiengine aircraft with
engines rated at least 800 horsepower each, or the equivalent in turbine engine
powered aircraft), and at least 5 hours of flight training in the duties of a flight
engineer.
(2) Graduation from at least a 2-year specialized aeronautical training course in
maintaining aircraft and aircraft engines (of which at least 6 calendar months were in
maintaining multiengine aircraft with engines rated at least 800 horsepower each or
the equivalent in turbine engine powered aircraft), and at least 5 hours of flight
training in the duties of a flight engineer.
(3) A degree in aeronautical, electrical, or mechanical engineering from a recognized
college, university, or engineering school; at least 6 calendar months of practical
experience in maintaining multiengine aircraft with engines rated at least 800
horsepower each, or the equivalent in turbine engine powered aircraft; and at least 5

hours of flight training in the duties of a flight engineer.

(4) At least a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating and at least 5
hours of flight training in the duties of a flight engineer.
(5) At least 200 hours of flight time in a transport category airplane (or in a military
airplane with at least two engines and at least equivalent weight and horsepower) as
pilot in command or second in command performing the functions of a pilot in
command under the supervision of a pilot in command.
(6) At least 100 hours of flight time as a flight engineer.
(7) Within the 90-day period before he applies, successful completion of an approved
flight engineer ground and flight course of instruction as provided in Appendix C of
this part.
Sec. 63.39 Skill requirements.
(a)
An applicant for a flight engineer certificate with a class rating must pass a
practical test on the duties of a flight engineer in the class of airplane for which a
rating is sought. The test may only be given on an airplane specified in Sec.
63.37(a).
(b) The applicant must:(1) Show that he can satisfactorily perform preflight inspection, servicing, starting,
pre-takeoff, and post landing procedures;
(2) In flight, show that he can satisfactorily perform the normal duties and procedures
relating to the airplane, airplane engines, propellers (if appropriate), systems, and
appliances; and
(3) In flight, in an airplane simulator, or in an approved flight engineer training device,
show that he can satisfactorily perform emergency duties and procedures and
recognize and take appropriate action for malfunctions of the airplane, engines,
propellers (if appropriate), systems and appliances.

Future Prospects
Depending on your qualification and experience, you will have the opportunity
to grow in this profession. Flight engineers have the opportunity to become pilots or
co-pilots. This can be done by obtaining the various licenses required for these
positions. Also, you need to have enough actual flight time to meet the required
number of hours. Many people accomplish this by joining the military, but this is by
no means the only way to enter this profession.
There is limited growth in this field, as the use of computerized flights is
gaining popularity and has become the standard practice. The older planes will be
replaced by newer ones in the near future. This could cut down the demand for flight
engineers significantly.