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Why 2 Flight Engineers?

Wrighbrothers From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 1875 posts, RR: 10
Posted (7 years 7 months 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 2196 times:

Hello all, I was just wondering why certain aircrafts have 2 Flight Engineers ( the AN124/AN225). Is it because their systems are too complex for 1 F/E or something else?. Any answers are appreciated

Wrighbrothers

Always stand up for what is right, even if it means standing alone..

8 replies: All unread, jump to last

SATL382G From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 1, posted (7 years 7 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2094 times:

They need a rested flight engineer on the flight deck after the other guy has been up all night correcting faults. Particularly when they are away, as these Antonovs so often are, from home base maintenance.

HAWK21M From India, joined Jan 2001, 31201 posts, RR: 58
Reply 2, posted (7 years 7 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2052 times:

At MAA these AN-124s Freighters have a huge crew carried along with the Aircraft.
Even the Dismantling & Reassembly & Storage of the Towbar is time consuming job.
The crew have a ladder to come down into the main cargo deck from the upper deck.
regds
MEL

Think of the brighter side!

VC10 From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2001, 1382 posts, RR: 17
Reply 3, posted (7 years 7 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2031 times:

I do not know about the "ANs" in particular, but generally aircraft carried 2 F/Es as part of a heavy crew which is required when long trips are to be undertaken. The heavy crew would normally consist of 3 pilots and 2 F/Es [In BA anyway]

Now if you go back to the days of piston powered prop aircraft the long haul types would normally carry 2 F/Es

1] Because of the long duty days

2] To get the best out of the engines the F/Es work was continuous
and tiring so a relief F/E was required at intervals shorter than
those of today

3] A lot of the evaluation of faults and settings depended on pure
experience when operating these type of aircraft, and this could
really only be learnt by time on the aircraft. So one F/E would be
senior and the other somewhat more junior . Being a F/E in those
days was really a black art

Anyway mostly those days are gone now little vc10

Wrighbrothers From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 1875 posts, RR: 10
Reply 4, posted (7 years 7 months 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 2015 times:

Thank you for your posts.
I was just doing a photo search and found this photo of the An-225

View Large View Medium
Click here for bigger photo!

Photo © Sven De Bevere

There are 2 seats facing the F/E pannel, I know that the 2nd F/E obviously has to have a seat to sit in but is this to do with what VC-10 has said or does it need 2 F/E
In short are thyere any airrafts that need 2 Flight Engineers ( i.e- no relif/observing/tranning F/E) ?
Thanks

Wrighbrothers
Alistair

Always stand up for what is right, even if it means standing alone..

TheSonntag From Germany, joined Jun 2005, 3347 posts, RR: 30
Reply 5, posted (7 years 7 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 2012 times:

These russian aircraft are wonderful and very useful, but in terms of automatisation and electronics, the soviet union never was able to close the gap to the west, so these aircraft require a bigger crew. However, given the fact that the AN-225 has a monopoly in its size, this is not a cost factor which is relevant Wink

Pilotpip From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 3084 posts, RR: 12
Reply 6, posted (7 years 7 months 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 1895 times:

The Soviets didn't have much reason to close the gap. They had lots of people that they had to employ. Smile

DMI

727EMflyer From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 547 posts, RR: 0
Reply 7, posted (7 years 7 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1846 times:

So if there are two FE's on the right side, who is sitting and working on the left? Looks like a navigator with the radar scope....

Wrighbrothers From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 1875 posts, RR: 10
Reply 8, posted (7 years 7 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1854 times:

Quoting 727EMflyer (Reply 7):
So if there are two FE's on the right side, who is sitting and working on the left? Looks like a navigator with the radar scope....

It's the navigator and the radio operator Smile

Wrighbrothers

Always stand up for what is right, even if it means standing alone..