As a flight engineer, the candidate is responsible for doing things like visually inspecting the aircraft before it flies, during the flight, and after the craft has flown; maintaining and servicing the craft after flights; and issuing warnings to the pilot about overheating and depressurization or any abnormal conditions the craft might be experiencing. The flight engineer also suggests corrective measures to repair any mechanical defects or problems with the craft that can affect performance during combat missions, refuels the aircraft, sees that cargo is properly loaded to maintain balance and fuel usage efficiency, and helps to maintain flight records while in the air for the pilot, in addition to any time that the flight is away from its home mission base.
Entry into this career path has a few prerequisites. Since you will be calculating such things as balance ratio for the planes with and without cargo and the usage of fuel on missions, it is suggested that the candidate has at least a high school diploma with one advanced high school math course and mechanical skills prior to enlistment. Physically, the candidate should be of sound basic health and be capable of lifting 70 pounds.
After the completion of basic training (or the Enlisted Aircrew Undergraduate Course, given at Lackland AFB, in Texas which lasts 2 weeks and 3 days), the candidate must then attend and pass their Combat Survival Training Course, held at Fairchild AFB in Washington; a Water Survival-Parachuting Course (for Fixed Wing Flight Engineers) at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida; or the Non-Parachuting Water Survival Course (for Helicopter Flight Engineers) given at Fairchild AFB in WA. For the next six months, the candidate will be expected to attend either the Basic Flight Engineer (BFE) Course given at Lackland AFB in Texas or the Basic Helicopter Flight Engineer Course (BHFE) now offered at Altus AFB in Oklahoma.
In order to enter the Flight Engineer program, the candidate must earn and remain qualified in the following areas:
Class III aircrew duty physical qualification based on AFI 48-123, Medical Examination and Standards.
Aeronautical Ratings and Badges Qualification for aviation service and Aviation and Parachutist Service based on AFI 11-402.
Be awarded and retain the AFSC 1A131X/51X/71X/90/00 classifications, being eligible for a Secret Security Clearance according to AFI 31-501, Personnel Security Program Management.
The 1A131C, a prior qualification with a 5- or 7-skill level in the 1A0, 1A2, 1A5, 2AXXX, or 2M0 career ladder, or already having a valid Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificate for Flight Engineer, FAA-certified private piloting license, valid license for FAA aircraft and power plant, or a license for Aircraft Maintenance Technician.
