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The differences between flight engineers and flight test engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a flight engineer and a flight test engineer. Additionally, a flight test engineer has an average salary of $90,538, which is higher than the $85,035 average annual salary of a flight engineer.
The top three skills for a flight engineer include FAA, flight operations and simulator. The most important skills for a flight test engineer are control room, data analysis, and test procedures.
| Flight Engineer | Flight Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,035 | $90,538 |
| Hourly rate | $40.88 | $43.53 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 2,042 | 26,384 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Flight Engineer monitors and controls various aircraft systems, such as airplanes and helicopters. They ensure that all components of the plane are in proper working order, as well as diagnose and rectify problems that may arise.
A flight test engineer is primarily in charge of testing and overseeing aircraft performances, ensuring every aspect aligns with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other governing agencies' policies and regulations. Their responsibilities revolve around planning and developing efficient test structures and criteria, examining mechanical and electrical systems, coordinating with other staff to gather necessary documentation, assessing risks, and identifying an aircraft's strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, as a flight test engineer, it is essential to analyze data and produce extensive reports that explain all test procedures and observations in detail.
Flight engineers and flight test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Flight Engineer | Flight Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,035 | $90,538 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $129,000 | Between $66,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Gilbert, AZ | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | Illinois |
| Best paying company | Learjet | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a flight engineer and a flight test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Flight Engineer | Flight Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aerospace Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between flight engineers' and flight test engineers' demographics:
| Flight Engineer | Flight Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 81.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 10.9% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |