• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

A HISTORY OF FLIGHT ENGINEER TRAINING IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE by Flt Lt D. C. Stringman RAF INTRODUCTION Air engineers, or flight engineers as they were formerly and are still colloquially termed, form the smallest current aircrew branch within the RAF; its strength, at present, numbering only 340. It is also, with the obvious exception of the pilot branch, the oldest, having been continuously employed since early 1941. Written history concerning the engineer is sparse and as the years pass the documentary evidence required to support such a history decreases; only a short while ago the 1942 policy file, a unique document, was sent for destruction by the reviewers. Personal experience of the earlier period is becoming equally difficult to trace and can only reduce in the future. It was necessary to limit the content of this short history to training and the major utilisations. During preparation a strong bias of content towards the war period emerged naturally; the pace of aircraft development and the expansion of their sphere of employ­ ment dictated rapidly changing responses from the aircrew and hence the organisations responsible for training. As a spare-time project it has been impossible to do more than outline the subject: 'war-stories' have, reluctantly, been omitted; most were interesting, some sad, some exciting and many humourous, such as the engineer in Japan who, on the turn of a card, inherited a house of ill-repute (fully furnished!) to find subsequently, when arrested by the military police, that his own property was out-of-bounds to him. Hopefully a professional author may one day produce a comprehensive study of the subject in which these anecdotes will have their place. Undoubtedly there still remains a general ignorance of the engineer's professional role, perhaps the cause of his literary anonymity. The following article, which first appeared in the RAF magazine 'Air Clues' in May 1977, goes a long way towards clarifying this point and also outlines the present training· scheme. Systems Approach to Training principles are being used in the course for training Air Engineers. What is involved is discussed by SQUADRON LEADER D. CROWSON The Air Engineer, whose counterpart is known as the Flight Engineer in civil aviation, is probably the least known and the most unpublicised aircrew member both inside and outside the RAF. However, the demand for engineers continues in aviation generally and this short article is aimed at making known the nature and extent of the training necessary and as an indication of the professionalism with which Air Engineers approach their duties. 2 First, the task of the Air Engineer. He is primarily concerned with the operation and monitoring of all aircraft systems, and is required to diagnose and where possible rectify or eliminate any faults that may arise. In addition to the basic airframe and engines of the large multi-engined aircraft, there are several major systems and sub­ systems to be managed, including electrics, hydraulics, fuel, pressurisation and air conditioning, powered flying controls, ice and rain protection. Then there is a whole range of systems which come under the general heading of avionics, and others such as oxygen, fire protection, smoke detection, water and waste and galley supplies. In short, the Air Engineer is responsible to his captain for engineering management at all times whilst the aircraft is under the control of the aircrew. AB INITIO TRAINING All RAF Air Engineers are recruited as NCO aircrew; some are ex-ground trades­ men, others are direct entrants. Training takes place at No. 6 FTS at Finningley, starting with the 6 weeks Airmen Aircrew Initial Training Course which is designed to develop, test and assess personal qualities to ensure that the student has the potential to accept aircrew professional training and to assume SNCO rank. Subsequent professional training covers 43 weeks and is conducted in four phases of an objective syllabus. Basic Academics This first phase deals with the fundamentals of aircraft systems and includes a short course on mathematics and science. In the latter stages of the phase, Dominie aircraft systems are studied preparatory to phase two. Flying Phase Flying comes early in the course and syllabus content is conditioned by aircraft resources and economic considerations, as a result, apart from one hours Familiarisation flying in the Bulldog, all flying exercises are carried out conjointly with Navigator training. Following the introductory I -hour Bulldog sortie, 9 exercises of 3 hours each in the Dominie are supplemented by ground instruction, but it is not possible to teach, practice and test all ofthe required skills at this stage. The main purpose ofthe flying exercises is to familiarise the student with the airborne environment, thus fulfilling a vital aspect of all aircrew training. Advanced Aircraft Systems An in-<lepth study of the Argosy aircraft is undertaken at phase 3. The systems and their interrelationships are examined, and also considered are the implications of malfunctions on aircraft operations. The student is now prepared for the final and most important part of the course. 3 Simulator Training This training takes place in the Argosy Simul!ltor currently located at RAF Benson. This simulator is the best one which is available for basic training which is sufficiently modem in concept, combining the necessary blend ofrelative simplicity and sophistication. With realistic systems presentation, it permits the student Air Engineer to translate the knowledge he has acquired so far into skills that can be demonstrated and measured. Each student completes 11 exercises of increasing complexity involving 38 hours of operating at the engineers station and 24 hours in the co-pilots seat. Graduation On successful completion of basic training, the student Air Engineer is awarded his flying badge; final confirmation of this award is conditional on his completion of conversion training on an operational aircraft. TYPICAL FLIGHT FOR AN AIR ENGINEER The easiest way to place the Air Engineers task into perspective is to describe briefly what he does on a typical flight of a VC 10. The VC 10 is chosen because it is an example ofone of the Air Engineers more demanding roles and is familiar to many people. Two hours before take-off the crew reports to the operations centre. The pilots and the navigator go to Flight Planning while the engineer, having ascertained the fuel requirements, goes to the First Line Servicing Office to check the aircraft technical log. This document provides up-to-date serviceability and replenishment states. It will take some l S to 20 minutes for the Air Engineer to satisfy himself that all the documentation is in order prior to going out to the aircraft to check that is is ready for flight. Pre-Flight Checks The pre-flight check covers some 180 items, and to ensure that each item is checked quickly and thoroughly it is necessary to know the aircraft intimately and to work to a set pattern. A final fuel check is made to ensure that the fuel carried is in accordance with the flight requirements, including any amendments that may have been necessary at the flight planning stage. The Air Engineer will then calculate the fuel transfer between tanks that will have to be done after take-off to maintain the correct distribution of weight. By this time, the rest of the crew will be on board and when the engineer is ready, the captain will call for pre-start checks. When completed the engineer starts each engine in turn and initiates systems checks which will continue up to the time that the aircraft reaches the runway threshold. Take-Off During the take-off the engineer handles the throttles and checks the desired power settings via his instrumentation. If a serious malfunction occurs prior to Decision Speed he will advise the captain to stop the take-off. As the aircraft climbs away he will set the appropriate power for noise abatement procedures, for climb segments and intermediate holding heights. System monitoring continues throughout the climb, special attention being paid to engine responses at this time. 4 Climb When settled into a smooth climb, the Air Engineer will calculate the engine RPM that will be required at the cruising flight level, also the high and low buffet speeds that will indicate the speed band within which the aircraft can operate safely. At the top of the climb, he sets cruising power and then makes his initial log entries. After calculating the fuel remaining, this figure is passed to the navigator for entry on the flight plan and the 'Howgozit' graph. At this busy stage of the flight the crew will be working as a well drilled team and there will be little need for them to speak to each other on the intercom. The Air Engineer will be listening to the pilots communicating with the ground stations and will be aware of Air Traffic flight clearances. He will also know the navigational aids that are in use and by reference to the appropriate instruments will monitor the progress of the flight. Cruise In the cruise it is the Air Engineers responsibility to maintain the desired cruising speed by keeping the engines synchronised at the correct RPM, which will vary with aircraft weight and outside air temperature. Even in slight turbulence this becomes a tedious and demanding chore as constant throttle adjustments are necessary. Buffet speeds are updated at regular intervals, and fuel is used and transferred between tanks in accordance with a prescribed drill in order to maintain the desired centre of gravity. Throughout the cruise the engineer keeps a very close check on fuel consumption to ensure that there are sufficient reserves to complete the flight safely.

Load more

  154

Copy Link