747-200 FE's perspective

[cowpatz]

This was taken by one of our FE's back in 1994. The video quality is not good but is indicative of what was available at the time.
One of my all time favourite aircraft to fly. I am so glad that I was able to fly with Flight Engineers in my aviation career. Very dedicated and professional individuals with legendary eating (drinking) habits to match.
It was said that there was no need to secure food galley carts on the upper deck in a 747-200 because if one ever made it thru the cockpit door it would never make it past the Flight Engineer!

Take special note of the FE's after start 'panel dance'.

Whale of a tale...

[Splitpin]

Great post CP , Thanks for posting

[Ian Warren]

I liked that .. Now what happened to the FE's they now all in the Yuma and Davis Monathan bone yards as well

[HamiltonWest]

[cowpatz]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Aug 7 2013,3:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I liked that .. Now what happened to the FE's they now all in the Yuma and Davis Monathan bone yards as well

Quite a few FE's went with the aircraft to Virgin. Some became pilots (around 5 who already had some pilot time) and a handful ended up with cargo operators. The older guys either retired or took up other technical related jobs within Air NZ.
It is amazing to think that the FE's panel was absorbed into the overhead panel on the 747-400. There was something like 1000 dials, knobs or switches in the classic and only 300 on the 747-400.

[Ian Warren]

It was such a change , least they kept the yoke as with ARBUST the joke .. mind sence to me whether left or right the control is central .. a joystick not connected to anything like they give you a cabbage rather the banana ... arr the French - threw out aviation history of the hundred years back they where at the for-front of design - go ten plus years later ya look at the horrid machines , were some good ones tho .. guess the ARBUST corp watch to many space movies and want to bring in the trend ... Next is the helmet mounted control and point of direction via brain case control ...

[Charl]

Very nicely done... amazing how entire job descriptions end up contained on a computer chip.
Although Pilots may look like the Next Thing to Go, I wonder what the travelling public might think of that notion?
Perhaps pilots will be called Journey Guides, and talk to the passengers while the machines quietly hum away...wait a minnit isn't that what they do now??

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Charl @ Aug 9 2013,10:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Think of that notion?
Perhaps pilots will be called Journey Guides, and talk to the passengers while the machines quietly hum away...wait a minnit isn't that what they do now??

Notion thinking , for the .. US plane nutters and for the ones who get plopped into people seats away from the windows have the cameras on board in Cockpit or UC , nose , tail , wing, camera views with the flight tracker on your monitor rather the silly entertainment they have .

[Charl]

On the A380 there are several camera views available to the IFE system.
I love the nosecam view; and on the last flight missed most of Die Hard 3 because of it!

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Charl @ Aug 9 2013,10:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

On the A380 there are several camera views available to the IFE system.
I love the nosecam view; and on the last flight missed most of Die Hard 3 because of it!

I've seen the Cam's on some aircraft .. Die Hard 3 .. ole Brucey 'BUGGER" .. could you imagine me wrapped around the tail just to get the views ... "the vistas" for the yups yelling like 'Lucy Lawless' Lalalalalalalalala hang on fellas !