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 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

Yelena is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station as a flight engineer for Expedition 41/42.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson