flight engineer

American  

noun

1. a member of an aircraft crew responsible for the mechanical systems, fueling, and servicing of the craft.

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flight engineer British  

noun

1. the member of an aircraft crew who is responsible for the operation of the aircraft's systems, including the engines, during flight

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Etymology

Origin of flight engineer

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Meir, a marine biologist and physiologist, served as flight engineer on a 2019-2020 expedition to the space station and participated in the first all-female spacewalks.

From Barron's • Feb. 8, 2026

She served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 14/15 and completed a then-record-breaking four spacewalks during the mission.

From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2026

They spoke to Matthew Kinsey, who Weiss says was "on the team that discovered the Higgs Boson particle", and Bobak Ferdowsi, a flight engineer at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2024

In 1972, his dad was the flight engineer on the first flight of the first Airbus jet, the A300.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 10, 2023

The flight engineer knows this, because it is his responsibility to track the weather, so now he decides to speak up.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell