It might be semantics. For an airline to engage a "Flight engineer" there has to be someplace for him/her to ride sidesaddle. In todays two driver world, thats becoming harder and harder as three seat aeroplanes disappear to the desert. Airlines are hiring "Second Officers"( insert your airlines name for them ) who while theres a seat, start by flying the panel, and then as seniority permits, they move up to a window seat. They are not professional F/E's, but they perform the function. There are airlines that use, for want of a better term, "cruise pilots". While the senior crew is taking a break on long haul flights, these people drive. They are not usually permitted to take-off or land, but in an emergency would perform quite admirably. Perhaps thats where the "confusion" is arising? As one poster pointed out and it is true, the F/E is going the way of the navigator, radio operator, and gaslamp lighter.