Expert: James Bell - 8/7/2008

Question
Sir, I am beginning the process of retraining to a Flight Engineer position with the Reserve unit at Pope AFB, I am currently in the 2AXXX career field and have been for six years. The gaining unit at Pope requires an interview before accepting any new flying position candidates and I was curious as to if you had any insight into what I might want to prepare for prior to this interview. Any specific questions or subjects the Chief might bring up or general aspects of what encompasses a qualified Flight Engineer applicant? Thanks for your time on this matter, I look forward to hearing from you.

Answer
Cory -

I guess nothing can be scarier than a job interview.  Coming from the 2A career ladder, you are certainly eligible to become a flight engineer.  I have noticed these interviews tend to be more about your character and feelings on flying than your technical expertise.  They will have your 623 and EPR's to look at to attest to your existing technical abilities.  They can hardly drill you on things you have yet to learn in tech school.

Most people don't make it into the flying program because they don't have a firm grasp on what the flying job is all about.  You have to give up the fact that you won't be working in a shop or office at a base.  The cockpit is your office, and your office changes its location every day.  If you screw up a procedure while repairing a piece of electronic equipment, you correct the problem and move on.  If you have an engine on fire in-flight and you do the wrong thing, the entire airplane and crew could be put at risk.  Sometimes you can't stop and say "Let's finish this after lunch."

My flying partner at Altus in C-141's (on his FIRST simulator ride), turned off the wrong hydraulic system during a malfunction.  We only had two ... the one that had failed, and the functioning one.  He turned off the functioning one and the plane (already in a steep bank), rolled onto its back and crashed.  Although this was the simulator, and this is where you learn from your mistakes so you don't do them on a real aircraft, it was enough to convince him that flying wasn't his cup of tea.

As the flight engineer, you are responsible for reading and running all emergency checklists.  You are THE KEY person responsible for this.  Depending on the situation, you may be the one putting out an engine or wing fire while the pilots fly the plane.  If you freeze, freak out, or just plain screw up, and entire crew can die.  When you get your wings pinned on your chest, it means something.  It requires dedication and a commitment to the aircraft and your crew.  There are hundreds of crew members that never came back from a mission because something went very wrong.  Many years ago, two C-141's collided over Montana during a "routine training mission."  Thirteen families were torn apart when their husbands didn't come home.

Closer to home, we almost lost a KC-10 on another "routine training mission" when the copilot making a landing in a rain storm got disoriented when the plane went into the clouds.  Instead of relying on his instruments instead of his inner ear, he pushed the stick forward and pointed the plane towards the ground.  They broke through the 800 foot cloud deck at almost 300 knots, screaming toward the Florida ground.  If it hadn't been for the quick thinking of the pilot, who grabbed the yoke and pulled the plane out -- if he had just froze and became a passenger on the plane -- it would have been nothing more than a smoking hole in the ground.

I don't want to scare you away from becoming an FE, quite the contrary.  Wearing the enlisted wings of an aircrew member is very special.  If you have what it takes, this interview will be no problem.  I'm sure you will face many an inflight emergency in your time.  Just make sure you are a member of the crew that does the right thing, saves the day and brings the plane home so everyone can go home to their family.

Good luck.

Sincerely,
James Bell