Expert: James Bell - 2/25/2004

Question
I'm looking at going into the Air Force as a Flight Engineer. Is there anything you would recomend to me. Or more generally anything about the job I should know? I just wanted to get the oppinion of someone who has been through it.

Answer
Greetings Chris -

I assume from the way you worded your question that you are not yet in the Air Force?  If so, you cannot join right into the flight engineer career field.

Air Force Manual 36-2108 (Enlisted Classification) spells out the requirements necessary to gain entry into any AFSC (Air Force Specialty Code ... job) that the Air Force offers.  Page 111, Paragraph 3.5.2.2. states that, in order to be eligible for entry in the Flight Engineer career field (1A1x0), you must possess a prior 5- or 7-level skill qualification in either of the In-flight Refueling (Boom Operator - 1A0x0), Aircraft Loadmaster (1A2x0), Airborne Mission Systems (1A5x0), Manned Aerospace Maintenance (2Axxx), or Missile and Space Systems Maintenance (2M0x0) career fields, or possess a valid FAA Flight Engineer Certificate, FAA Pilot License or valid FAA Airframe & Powerplant license or Aircraft Maintenance Technician license.

There has been talk about opening up the Flight Engineer career field to "first-termers", but there has been no action taken as of yet that I am aware of.  If you want to become a flight engineer, I would suggest you look at either the Loadmaster (1A2x0) or Boom Operator (1A0x0) career fields, then retrain at the earliest possible time.  Both are still aircrew and fly on the aircraft.  I started out as a loadmaster, then retrained to engineer.

I know this isn't the answer you wanted, but you now have more information to take to your recruiter.  If you have anymore questions, don't hesitate to write back.  This is obviously a career decision that is very important and will shape the future path your life takes, so I want to make sure you make an intelligent and well-informed decision.

You can look up the job descriptions for every job in the Air Force via the regulation I previously quoted.  You can see it online at ...
http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfiles/af/36/afman36-2108/afman36-2108.pdf

Aircrew Operations are located on pages 107 to 127.  These job descriptions will give you an idea of what is required of each job, and will better help you find the job that is right for you.

Good luck on your search.

Sincerely,
James Bell