FE incapacitation

[chornedsnorkack]

How vital is the FE for properly taking off or landing a plane designed to have a FE station in the cockpit?

Airliners are built to have two pilots and allow either of the pilots to land the plane alone, or continue takeoff, abort takeoff or abort landing as necessary. Nevertheless, this is difficult and unsafe, and I understand pilots are advised not to deliberately enter any critical flight phases alone.

How seriously is the handling of a plane built with a FE station afflicted if the flight engineer is incapacitated?

Is it easier to land such planes with both pilots and no one in reach of the FE panel, or one pilot and flight engineer?

[Intruder]

At least one pilot in the crew must be able to take over the duties of the FE. I have never run into the situation personally, but for an approach/landing I think I would set up the panel according to the checklists and FHB, then get back in my Captain's seat for the approach and landing.

If the FE was disabled on takeoff/climbout, I would return and land ASAP.