Originally Posted by
eggplantwalking
It wasn't until the introduction of the C-118 (DC-6) Connie and B-377 that a position was created especially for a F/E.
Actually, as I noted earlier in this thread, the B-307 Stratoliner, a derivative of the B-17C that flew in 1938, had a flight engineer.
The Boeing 314 Clippers which also first flew in 1938 had a flight engineer as well.
Originally Posted by
CUTiger78
I find it a bit troubling that the "flight engineer" only held a student pilot certificate.
From a licensing point of view it appears to me that the third crewmember on this BDL B-17 mishap flight was not required to have any type of airman certificate. Was he legally a required crewmember with 10 pax under these historical aircraft regulations?