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what is common about being an flight-engineer, that you wished you knew before jumping in this field?

How much schooling does it take to become a flight-engineer? And what should i suspect or try to get myself comfortable with? Is there a lot of math i should try getting used to?

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Wayne’s Answer

Justin: Flight Engineers are a "dying" position in the Commercial aviation industry, (i.e. United, Southwest, American , etc.). I estimate that about 99% of the Commercial aircraft (i.e. Boeing, Airbus, etc.) flying today only require a Pilot and First Officer (Co-Pilot). The Flight Engineer is a "non-flying" position in the Flight Deck. They basically monitor the various systems: fuel, hydraulics, heating and air conditioning, etc. Most Flight Engineers have their Pilots License. At the time the Flight Engineer position was an entry level position to be in the flight deck. Then after a certain amount of time they would advance to the Copilots seat and then to the Pilots seat. If you are interested in aviation there are some good Community Colleges where you can get an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics License or an Aeronautical Degree, which would help you in learning about various aircraft systems. Due to the shortage of Pilots, a lot of the airlines have relaxed the requirement for a 4 year degree. If the military is of any interest to you, talk to an Air Force or Navy recruiter about various aviation opportunities. A Flight Engineer in the military is usually an Enlisted Position.
Here is a link to some info about the becoming a Flight Engineer. https://www.careeraddict.com/become-a-flight-engineer.
Best wishes on your journey.
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Courtney’s Answer

As Wayne said, very few, if any, airlines still use flight engineers as modern aircraft are able to use their onboard computers to do the job now. What you’d be searching for is the position of First Officer. That’s the professional term for Co-pilot. Complex math is not required but you should have a decent grasp of interpolation, converting Fahrenheit to Celsius, compass directions and their reciprocal numbers, adding times and distances quickly in your head and such. The computers in the airplane do the complex calculations for you. Having said that, you’ll be learning to fly in much simpler airplanes that don’t have the same capabilities. A college degree is no longer required at many airlines but still helps tremendously when you’re trying to stand out from other job applicants as well as being comfortable in both a classroom and self-study environment.
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Luke’s Answer

The biggest thing to know is being a flight engineer is a bit of a dying breed, however several cargo airlines do still use them. The company I work for requires flight engineers to either have their pilots license or their Airframe & Powerplant license. A good foundation in basic mechanics and electronics would be a good starting point and any airframe specific knowledge will come in time. Being able to communicate well is also important since you are typically the bridge between pilots and mechanics. Most of the math involved is fairly simple such as calculating fuel burn per hour and weight and balance for fuel and cargo.
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