The 737-800 needs a flight engineer to manage the temp controls.

The MD88 requires more engineers than the space shuttle to keep it running. American & Delta home schools their engineers and calls them First Officers. A good FO knows how to open bleed valves as skillfully as any FE ever managed the mixture and turbosupercharger on a 2800. Ground telemetry is analysed by TRACON; course and attitude corrections are then radio'd to those intrepid test pilots who fly that thing on the ragged edge of controlled flight until it's limited endurance is exhausted and it is recovered. Then the tiles and turbomuffleadiator bearings are lubed and it is sent back on a return trajectory. Like the X-15, the aerodynamic flight controls lose effectiveness near apogee and shock waves do unexpected things. Neither aircraft has brakes, but skids well.

There's a reason McDonnell Douglas' corporate emblem was a lawn dart. Have you seen our unit patch?