Flight Engineers

[warbirdguy]

What Flight Engineers on warbirds require Type Ratings. i.e the B-25, B-24, B-17 etc.

[retroaviation]

Well, I don't know about the other guys, but the CAF B-24A/LB30 isn't required to have a flight engineer as far as the FAA is concerned, but our Squadron requires one there on every flight.

The B-29 used to require an FAA type rating, but that has changed too. Even though the flight engineer is a required crew member, the FAA has approved the CAF training program which basically makes the position require a "CAF Type Rating." That is what I have in FIFI. The official rules and regulations are obviously more complex than that, but this is the basic idea.

Gary Austin

[Larry Kraus]

As far as I know,unless things have changed in the last 15-20 years,Engineer Ratings from the FAA were divided into Turbine,Tubo Prop and Reciprocating Engine sub-ratings.These had to be obtained seperately,but were valid for any airplane in the respective category.

The DC-7 and 1049 Constellation,while not Warbirds,are equivalent airframes.The DC-7 has a folding jump seat for the engineer located between and slightly behind the pilot/co-pilot seats and directly behind the throttle pedestal.The Connie has a dedicated flight engineer station that contains engine and aircraft system controls not available to the pilots.

We have a waiver to operate the DC-7 without an engineer for training,ferry flights and fire fighting operations.The Eastern Airlines flight manual states that Eastern had a similar waiver for training and non-revenue operations.This would not be possible in the Connie.

That said,I wouldn't want to do too much serious IFR flying or operate with a non-disposable load (i.e. 27,000 lbs. of fire retardant) without an engineer.There aren't many recip rated engineers still breathing,though,and fewer yet that are current as to recent exprience.I doubt that there are many FAA examiners that can even give check rides in large recip airplanes anymore.

[Larry Kraus]

I found a pdf version of the FAA current handbook covering testing for flight engineer ratings.Assuming that anyone is interested,I'll create a link.They don't just give ratings away.Then again,the FAA seldom does.

http://www.faa.gov/education_research/t ... 081-21.pdf

[Jase]

To add to what Larry and Gary have said:

Basically the bigger 4 engine planes require a rated FE. Off the top of my head, the planes requiring a rating are DC6, DC7, Connie/Starliner, KC-97. I knew that the -29 required an engineer, but was unaware that the Feds had (finally) waived the requirement for a recip FE ticket. (Thanks for the info Gary).

The Feds *had* a program similar to the NDPER program called the NDFEER. A guy named McMaster used to run it. I heard thru the grapevine tho that he's been promoted or something and is no longer doing it, and it has more or less withered on the vine due to lack of need.

There aren't a helluva lot of current rated recip FE's left, as Larry has said. One I can think of off the top is Carlos Gomez, who I think is still Connie qual'ed. I know he did the MATS Connie's last flight (sniffle). He also operates a DC-6 and -7 out of KMIA, so I'm sure he's current in them. Couple more I can think of off the top have let their medicals lapse (FE's have to hold at least second class). I think Foe Guldersma and a couple others out of KC are still current with Save A Connie.

I hope to get the ticket at some point and help Berlin Airlift out with their KC-97.

Definitely a dying artform tho. Which is probably what attracts me to it!