Flight Engineer

[SEFEGeorge]

I\'m sure that pretty near every FE and CC out there has come across things on the FE\'s preflight that had been missed. In 10 years I didn\'t find too many things that were big issues. But I did find a fire extinquisher directional control valve installed wrong. How about doing a preflight and when you push backwards on prop it rotates without resistance? Or finding the glass seal on a co-pilots altimeter hanging loose. CC said ok, but I told him to get avionics out to the bird. They ended up having to change the altimeter. Seems like most of my big problems have been with fuel systems. Out of EDF - high FF, low torque and TIT. Inside of #2 covered with a wide flowing stream on fuel. Engine guy kept saying nothing was wrong until he pressurized the fuel system to the engine. Woops, fuel line cracked just prior to entering engine. He got a fuel bath. Not a CC but somehow it just reflected mx attitude of the time.

Once got to a bird at LRF on a quick turn. Got briefed by FE. All engines had been over-torqued and written up with a red diagonal and the only explanation was \"ok to fly\" - winter time on a 73 H-model. Didn\'t sit well with me so I got out my red pencil and made it into a red X, crossed out the original guys name and entered mine. CC went ballistic telling me I couldn\'t do that. I said I could and that he\'d better read his mx manuals and get the section chief to the bird. I knew that there were torque and time limitations that allowed the bird to fly but they weren\'t listed. Guy came over, I explained my position, he asked CC about the info, over-torque amount was verified, he wrote it down along with the aircraft hours and hours when inspection was due. Seem to recall 50 hours was the time limit. Once this was done, all was kosher then, and off we went. So much fun.

I never wanted to break a bird. Just wanted to get the mission done and head home for a beer. Getting off late for a 10 hr over-water was never my choice for fun. Flying at night anyway, so adding 2 hours to a long crew day....

Maintenance always seemed to have their hands full, and all-in-all did a great job at keeping the birds safe and flying, but some days.......................................:angry:

[damnpoor]

Some FEs are real tightwads and some don\'t seem to care about anything. You can tell which ones came from something like avionics vs which ones came from hydraulics. They each have their little thing they look for. There are a couple FEs who I know ahead of time I\'ll probably need to have the TOs out because he\'s going to ask me what the leak limits are for some part. One thing I always hear the FE talk about is keeping the 781As in the binder for a little while. We pull them like we\'re told to do, and they always say we shouldn\'t so they can see what\'s been going on for the past three or four days. That\'s where you have to trust each other and know your airplane so they don\'t think I\'m BSing them about the status.

[mathis051606]

I completely agree with having the forms there. Plus you know what your problems may be when you take the plane off station. Our guys pull the forms prior to every flight and we don\'t have access to CAMS, so we have to use a dry-erase board in the flight to help us remeber what happened so we can brief the other guys. The MX/FE relationship is a special one, I agree with the other guys when they say don\'t screw it up and definately don\'t go toe to toe with the pro super. But always make sure that the -1 is on your side when you have an issue, you can\'t lose.

[EClark]

Way back when I think the maint. records where picked up once a week. That was pencil and paper days I\'am sure the maint. truck now has a computer in it. Most of the regular F.E.\'s that knew you and how you worked they would ask if the plane was ready and that was it. We was T.D.Y. in Jan.68 to PACAF to Clark we was flying with crews from other bases and some of the F.E. didn\'t know your M.O. and we had some dustups with some for a few flights but being adults we worked through it.Had one in Naha. when we landed he gave me the maint record with tow pages of little problems and one big one R.P.M. flux #2 out of limit. Iguess he wanted to stay a little longer but it didn\'t happen it was a all niter:laugh: :laugh:

[1685FCC]

mathis051606 wrote:

Good luck dude. This was the best career move I could have ever made! I kick myself for not crossing over earlier. I\'ve been an Engineer for 7 years and only met one guy i didn\'t get along with. Also, MX will look at you differently. Your days of being accepted in MX are over! They will more or less tolerate you. The big thing is that engineers never show up to an airplane to break it! Contrary to popular belief.

Yeah well, I\'m currently in QA so my days of mx liking me have been over for awhile now anyway. I told myself when I started this gig that I wanted to be the FE everyone didn\'t despise when I stepped to the aircraft. Time will tell, but I think I will be in good shape. I also wanted to add that I am heading to the 39th AS. If anyone has any contacts there I\'ll be glad to take them. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and here is to a great New Year! :woohoo:

DaveB)

[EClark]

Congrats on finishing FE training good luck inyour assingment but don\'t forget where you came from and don\'t be to hard on the Crew Chief\'s