Basic Concepts — Page 21, Lesson 30

I want to walk you through the duties and responsibilities of the flight engineer and other crew members, as defined in the Basic Concepts chapter of your ATPL human performance syllabus. This is the start of a new topic, so let's build it from the ground up. Let's begin with the Flight Engineer. On aircraft that carry a flight engineer, that crew member has a specific set of technical and operational duties. If there is no flight engineer on the aircraft, the Commander or First Officer takes on those tasks. First, the flight engineer advises the Commander on aircraft serviceability — that means whether the aircraft is fit to fly — and reports any acceptable deferred defects. A deferred defect is a fault that is permitted, under the Minimum Equipment List, to be carried for a certain period without grounding the aircraft. The engineer then carries out external and internal engineering checks and completes all the necessary documentation to record the aircraft's condition. Next, the flight engineer completes all checklists in the exact manner specified in the Operations Manual. This is not optional — the method is prescribed and must be followed precisely. The engineer also maintains the fuel and instrument logs and any other records required by the company or regulations. On the communications side, the flight engineer monitors R/T communications — that's radiotelephony, the voice radio — and assists in obtaining met reports (meteorological reports) and conducting company communications as needed. Operationally, the flight engineer operates power plants and systems, ensuring that limitations are not exceeded. If any malfunction occurs, the engineer advises the Commander immediately. The engineer also assists in monitoring all flight indications, especially attitude, altitude/height, speed, and heading, together with all warning lights and flags — those are the caution and warning annunciators on the instrument panel. Additionally, the engineer assists in monitoring the navigational displays and maintains a lookout whenever possible. Finally, the flight engineer carries out any duties consistent with his/her training and qualifications that may be delegated by the Commander. This is a catch-all — the Commander can assign tasks that fall within the engineer's certified scope. Now let's move to Other Members of the Crew. This covers any crew member who is not the Commander, First Officer, or Flight Engineer — for example, cabin crew. Their primary duty is to assist the Commander in the safe and efficient conduct of the flight and to report to the Commander any incident that has endangered or may endanger safety. This is a mandatory reporting obligation. They shall carry out any lawful instructions of the Commander and assist him or her concerning operational and administrative duties related to the flight. They also support the Commander in the maintenance of a proper standard of crew discipline, conduct, and personal appearance — this is about professionalism and the chain of command. Lastly, each crew member must maintain familiarity with relevant air legislation, practices, and procedures, together with the provisions of the company Operations Manual that are necessary to fulfil his or her function. This means they are expected to know the rules and the manual well enough to do their job safely. So, to summarise: the flight engineer is the technical specialist who manages systems, logs, checklists, and serviceability, while other crew members support the Commander in safety, discipline, and administrative tasks, and must stay current with regulations and the Operations Manual.