SM
I hate to get away from the theme of the original discussion, but I must question if you have ever flown on an E-3D. I have, and I see no evidence that FCs enjoy a status above AEOs, in fact I'd argue, if I could be bothered, that there's a great deal of evidence to support the opposite.
A few AEOs/AEOps/WSOs are their own worst enemy. They arrive at Waddo and spend all their time talking about how great the MR2 is and how bad Kinloss is. They show little enthusiasm for the job, but great skill in loudly deriding every eventuality from the comfort of the crewroom. FCs by comparison have escaped a life of mundane misery. For them the E-3 is seen as the pinnacle of their trade, not some side-alley away from the main core business. Naturally then, they are generally enthusiastic, open to new ideas, and as keen as mustard.
Waddo operates a relatively strict meritocracy for the mission crews. Therefore, if you were looking for crew execs who would you pick?? I'd wager it's not the crewroom lawyer full of negative opinion. I think that if AEOs/AEOps precieve they are 2nd or 3rd class, then a fair proportion of the responsibility for that must rest in your own backyard.
R&R