flight engineer

American  

noun

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

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of flight engineer

First recorded in 1935–40

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flight engineer

Reid Wiseman is a US Navy test pilot turned astronaut, who spent six months on the International Space Station in 2014 as a flight engineer on Expedition 40.

From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2026

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

In the 1950s, commercial aircraft cockpits were more crowded, typically with a captain, first officer or co-pilot, a flight engineer, a navigator and a radio operator.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 25, 2022

Twice honored with the Hero of the Soviet Union award, Svetlana worked as a flight engineer.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---