flight in the duties of a flight engineer on multi-engine aircraft having 4 or more engines rated at least at 800 h.p. each or the equivalent thereof in the case of turbine-powered aircraft; or (d) Have had at least 200 hours of flight time as pilot in command of aircraft having 4 or more engines rated at least at 800 h.p. each or the equivalent thereof in the case of turbine-powered aircraft; or (e) Have had at least 100 hours of flight experience in the duties of a flight engineer; or (f) Within 90 days immediately preceding the date of application, have completed successfully a course of instruction which the Administrator approves as adequate for the training of a flight engineer. Mr. HALABY. Most flight engineers in the past have risen from the ranks of the able and skillful mechanics. They have taken additional training and they have qualified as flight engineers. Others have risen from the ranks or moved sideways from the ranks of the pilots. The third category is a graduate with a mechanical or other engineering degree, and there is a fourth miscellaneous category. All this does is qualify the man to come take our physical and practical examination. Now, we have found, for example, in the latest bitter fight over this subject that the pilots are qualifying at a rate of about 86 percent who take the exam are passing it. In a previous strike, those who came and presented themselves with mechanical backgrounds for the flight engineer examination were passing at about a 66 percent rate. Now, this is understandable because in many cases the pilots have had much longer experience in aviation, more educational background, and have qualified themselves either by training courses or by company training for this position. We have no evidence and this is basic to the problem-that there is any difference in the safety records of the crews where the pilot is the flight engineer or where a mechanic qualified as flight engineer. There is no discernible distinction in the safety record, and that is terribly important to the Feinsinger Commission report. The Presidential Commission would certainly not have recommended a single union and a three-man crew if that were not the finding. SAFETY RECORD IMPROVING Mr. BROOKS. We hope that the safety record can remain the same or improve, certainly. Mr. HALABY. It is improving. Mr. BROOKS. And I am glad that it is proving out at this point to be no less than it has been. Mr. HALABY. It is improving, Mr. Chairman. Mr. BROOKS. We will put that in the record. (The agency subsequently furnished the following charts:) FAA CHART 7 ACCIDENT RATE U.S. CERTIFICATED ROUTE AIR CARRIERS AND |