Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Nine Airmen graduate from the Basic Flight Engineer Course at the 344th Training Squadron, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence, as the first-ever class comprised completely of non-prior service students at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, 13 Dec. These new aviators will go on to man crew position on aircraft responsible for monitoring and controlling aircraft systems, computing aircraft performance, calculating weight and balance and cross checking pilot actions.Nine Airmen graduate from the Basic Flight Engineer Course at the 344th Training Squadron, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence, as the first-ever class comprised completely of non-prior service students at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Dec. 13, 2019. These new aviators will go on to man crew positions on aircraft responsible for monitoring and controlling aircraft systems, computing aircraft performance, calculating weight and balance and cross checking pilot actions. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Air Force graduates first all non-prior service basic flight engineer classPublished Dec. 16, 2019
                    
                    By 1st Lt. Kayshel Trudell
                    
                    
                    37th Training Wing
            **JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) --**The Air Force’s 344th Training Squadron Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence graduated the first basic flight engineer class, comprised completely of non-prior service students, Dec. 13.
Nine students began training Nov 8. and all of them earned their wings, becoming the first class in the history of the flight engineer three-level technical school course to become career enlisted aviator basic flight engineers.
“My classmates and I put in a lot of hard work and dedication,” said Airman 1st Class Timothy Fox, flight engineer graduate. “Coming into it we knew we were going to be challenged and we met those challenges. We are extremely proud to be here and extremely proud to be part of air crew.”
For decades following World War II, until the mid-2000s, an individual could only apply to become a flight engineer after serving in a maintenance career field. In the late 2000s, the Air Force began allowing Airmen from career fields outside of maintenance to apply for flight engineer duty, with exception to policy approval. The active component had not yet opened up a pipeline for non-prior service Airmen to become flight engineers, until now.
These aviators will man air crew positions on aircraft, where they’ll be responsible for monitoring and controlling aircraft systems, computing aircraft performance, calculating weight and balance and cross checking pilot actions. Aircraft assignments include: KC-10 Extender, C-5 Galaxy, E-3 Sentry, E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (STARS)and C-130 Hercules.
“I taught differently to adapt to younger students, but all-in-all they worked just as hard,” said Technical Sgt. Coty McCuddin, BFE course instructor. “These guys are hard workers, they’re hungry and they want to go fly. I expect great things from them.”
The flight engineer career field dates back to World War II, when experienced mechanics and maintenance personnel flew aboard larger aircraft, including the Enola Gay and Bockscar B-29 Superfortress.
“This morning you (Airmen) are joining a family over 13,000 aviators,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Arroyo, CEA COE commandant. “When you look down at the wings on your chest, I want you to realize that you will never fly on an aircraft again and not be part of the aircrew. Have fun with this journey, I wish you the best of luck.”
For more information on the Career Enlisted Aviator Center for Excellence, visit https://www.37trw.af.mil/Units/37th-Training-Group/344th-Training-Squadron/.LR 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Air Education and Training Command 



AETC 



344th Training Squadron 



344th TRS 



Basic Flight Engineer Course 



Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence 



flight engineer three-level technical school 



career enlisted aviator 



CEA 



aircrew 



KC-10 Extender 



C-5 Galaxy 



E-3 Sentry 



E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (STARS) 



C-130 Hercules Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil