747 I take it you don't really know many pilots based on that rather stupid initial posting
Pilots are trained to fly aeroplanes,and not know how systems operate,or system integration,ie,a pilot will switch of a hydrualic pump if the light flashes at him,while a flight engineer will switch to the mcdu page to see if the pump is still producing 3000psi,monitor it and perhaps let it run on.
Yeah, and if the ECAM tells me to jump off a cliff I'll do that as well. We're trained to fly the aircraft AND know how the systems operate. I doubt an FE would have changed the outcome of SR111, you can't just let someone rip off panels and shut down electrics which affect the controlability of the aircraft. On a modern glass cockpit aircraft there's little if anything that an FE could achieve in the flight deck that the flight crew couldn't. He'd only have access to the same buttons and switches as we would, so unless he wants to climb out on the wing and fix the engine then he'd just be along for the ride.