FAA Flight Engineer cheat sheet

Reciprocating engine detonation: uncontrolled ignition of the fuel-air charge after normal ignition; indicated by high cylinder-head temperature, rough running, and falling manifold pressure. Causes: low octane fuel, high manifold pressure with low RPM, lean mixture at high power, high inlet air temperature.

Reciprocating engine preignition: ignition of the charge before the spark, usually from a hot spot (carbon deposit, overheated plug, exhaust valve). Unlike detonation it can occur at any power setting and cannot be fixed by enriching the mixture; landing is required.

Mixture management: best power is roughly 100-150 °F rich of peak EGT; best economy is at or lean of peak EGT within the manufacturer's limits. Never lean above 75% power without a CHT/EGT gauge; target CHT limits per the POH.

Turboprop: constant-speed propeller governed by a propeller governor; power lever sets fuel (torque/N1), condition lever sets propeller RPM and fuel schedule. Torque is the primary power indication; ITT/TGT and Ng are limits.

Turbojet/turbofan: thrust produced by accelerating mass airflow; N1 (fan/low-pressure spool) is the primary thrust parameter on most engines, N2 is the high-pressure spool. EGT/ITT limits are the primary thermal constraint; exceedance requires a maintenance write-up.

Engine start sequence (turbine): verify fuel, ignition, bleed configuration; motor N2 to the manufacturer's minimum, then introduce fuel and monitor ITT for a hot or hung start. Abort on ITT limit exceedance, no light-off in the specified time, or N1/N2 stagnation.

Anti-ice: engine bleed anti-ice reduces available thrust and increases fuel flow; wing and tail anti-ice must be on before entering visible moisture below the specified temperature. Ice on the tail can cause pitch upset; do not use flaps as an ice-shedding tool.

Pressurization: cabin differential pressure (PSID) is the limit, not cabin altitude alone. Maximum differential is structural; outflow valve controls cabin altitude and rate. A rapid depressurization requires oxygen first, then an emergency descent to 10,000 ft or MEA, whichever is higher.

Memory items come first; checklists second. For an engine fire: fire handle/agent, fuel and bleed shutoff, and if the fire persists, continue the checklist to the point of landing as soon as possible.

Engine failure in a multiengine airplane: maintain control (rudder, bank 3-5° toward the operating engine), establish best single-engine climb speed (VYSE), identify, verify, feather, then secure. Identify-verify-feather order prevents feathering the wrong engine.

V1 is decision speed: after V1 a takeoff is continued; before V1 it is aborted. V2 is takeoff safety speed; VMC is minimum control speed in the air, and VMC demonstrations are done at a safe altitude with the airplane configured per certification rules.

Rapid depressurization: don oxygen masks, establish communications, and begin an emergency descent at the maximum allowable speed (VMO/MMO or turbulent-air penetration speed) to 10,000 ft or the MEA. Cabin crew and passengers need time to don masks before descent begins.

Upset prevention and recovery: unload (reduce angle of attack), roll to level with coordinated aileron and rudder, then recover the pitch. Do not add power before unloading in a nose-high, low-energy state; avoid the stall and do not cross-control.

Wind shear escape: apply maximum available thrust, set the pitch attitude for the stick shaker or the manufacturer's target, do not change gear or flap configuration until clear of the shear, and accept the airspeed loss rather than pitching to hold speed.

Landing gear and brake abnormalities: a gear-up landing requires fuel shutoff, flaps as required, and evacuation planning. Brake fire after a rejected takeoff: stop, set the parking brake, and do not chock or approach the wheels until the fire is out and the gear is cooled.

Smoke in the cockpit: use oxygen masks with smoke goggles, establish crew communication, and follow the checklist for the source (electrical, bleed air, cargo). Electrical smoke: shed nonessential buses before resetting anything.

Density altitude = pressure altitude + 120 × (OAT °C − ISA temperature at that altitude). High density altitude reduces both power output and lift, increasing takeoff and landing distances.

Takeoff distance charts are based on pressure altitude, temperature, weight, wind, and slope; add the wind and slope corrections per the chart notes. A 10% increase in weight can increase takeoff distance by roughly 20% or more.

Weight and balance: moment = weight × arm; CG = total moment ÷ total weight. The CG must remain within the forward and aft limits for all fuel and loading states, including zero fuel weight and landing weight.

Zero fuel weight (ZFW) is a structural limit for transport-category airplanes; maximum takeoff weight minus fuel gives the maximum allowable ZFW. Exceeding ZFW increases wing bending loads even if under MTOW.

Balanced field length (V1): the accelerate-stop distance equals the accelerate-go distance. A longer runway allows a higher V1; a shorter runway reduces V1 and may limit takeoff weight.

Fuel planning: trip fuel + reserve (typically 45 minutes at normal cruise for IFR) + alternate + contingency. FAR 121/135 operators use specific reserve rules; verify the applicable regulation for the operation.

Cruise performance: specific range (nautical miles per pound of fuel) is maximized near the manufacturer's long-range cruise Mach. Flying faster than long-range cruise increases fuel burn and reduces range.

Landing distance: add 67% to the dry-runway landing distance for a wet runway (FAA transport-category rule) and more for contaminated runways; use the manufacturer's contaminated-runway data, not a flat factor.

Sterile cockpit below 10,000 ft (or per operator rule): no nonessential conversation or activity during taxi, takeoff, approach, and landing. Only safety-of-flight communication is permitted.

Crew briefing content: departure/approach briefings include terrain, NOTAMs, expected routing, go-around decision, and who flies/who monitors. A challenge-response loop confirms each item was heard and understood.

Threat and error management (TEM): identify threats (weather, terrain, fatigue, unfamiliar airport), trap errors before they propagate, and debrief after the flight. Undesired aircraft states are the last line before an accident.

Engine-out aerodynamics: asymmetric thrust creates a yawing moment; the vertical tail generates the opposing force. VMC decreases with altitude, so high-altitude engine-out handling requires lower bank and less rudder.

Critical engine (conventional twin): the engine whose failure most adversely affects performance, determined by P-factor, accelerated slipstream, spiraling slipstream, and torque. On most twins the left engine is critical.

Systems management: know the electrical bus hierarchy, hydraulic system redundancy, and fuel crossfeed logic before flight. A single failure should not cause a cascade; if it does, the checklist assumes a second failure.

Stall recovery: reduce angle of attack, apply power as needed, keep the ball centered, and recover with minimum altitude loss. In a swept-wing jet, do not use aileron alone to recover a wing drop at the stall.

Decision-making: use a structured model (e.g., DECIDE or 3P) and set personal minimums. A go-around is always available and is the correct decision when the approach is unstable at 1,000 ft IMC or 500 ft VMC.