Originally Posted by
Duksrule
What does it take to become a FE? Is there a big market for them? Is that a way to get into a company and then move up to a FO spot? What is the FE writen like, all maintenance questions? Also what aircraft other than the 727 use them? Would it be a good thing to take the writen test or does anyone care if you have that on your resume? Anything else you would like to add would be great. You just don't hear much about FEs here.
I put this in the cargo section because I figure all of the employers with FEs would be on the cargo side.
1) unbounded hope, these days. Written test, training, practical test,
and either a) comm'l-multi-inst certificate b) A&P certificate c) Military FE qualification/currency w/o practical(I think) d) manufacturers training(for airframer's employees mostly) e)BS-Mechanical Engineering.
2)No
3)Yes, but only if they do upgrade engineers. With no flight time, you get no respect. Turbine time is better for getting jobs. FedEx and UPS do this, but the FE's are called second officers, and are pilots who are otherwise qualified for a pilot position but for their low seniority are in the back seat. It is a great way to get introduced to FAR 121 operations done well, without having to fly, talk on the radio or navigate, while becoming a (relative)genius due to distance from the front panel, as they say in the sim.
4) lots of systems stuff, solving problems with graphs and tables, wt&balance much like all other FAA written tests.
5) DC-6, DC-8, DC-10, B-747, L-188, L-1011, A-300B4
6)It would be a good thing to take the written test if you anticipated employment within 2 years. It would be a good thing to take if you want to work at FedEx or UPS as it's probably required. It would at least show you like to study. In the old days people trying to get on at places like regionals/commuters twin-jet "nationals" left it off of their resumes in fears that it would be interpreted as evidence the applicant wanted to move on to the majors (as if their pay scales/schedules didn't already guarantee that!)
7) a) Being an FE was good training for the captain seat, as the PIC oral tended to concentrate on the FE panel. Being a pilot made the time in the FE seat go slowly.....
b) it is spelled "written"
8)No, you don't...it is a dying job.
9) That was probably wise, as you would have been savaged in the Major/Regional forums.