61.159 (c)(3) says that Military Flight Engineers can count 3 to 1 for total time up to 500 hours towards their ATP. Sadly, I was not a FE, I was a navigator with 1700+ hours which, apparently, doesn't count for anything. The series of questions I have are:
1) Why has the FAA given a special allowance for the Flight Engineer but not other crew positions with are integral to the operation of an aircraft?
2) Can I count the time anyway?
3) If "no" to #2, can I petition the powers that be to consider some ratio wherein a portion of my experience equates to something in the civilian flying world.
When I asked my local FSDO they said that navigator time did not count for anything. The benefits of being able to add 500 hours to my meager 380 total time would be helpful in progressing a pilot career.
For anyone that wants to get REALLY technical, my rating in the Air Force was called "Combat System Officer". Most operation units were not very receptive of the new name for the same position that had always been called "navigator". I just feel a little left out considering it took a lot of training and effort to perform my job, and, not to knock the diligent Flight Engineers of the armed forces, see another crew position receive consideration for their experience.
1) Why has the FAA given a special allowance for the Flight Engineer but not other crew positions with are integral to the operation of an aircraft?
2) Can I count the time anyway?
3) If "no" to #2, can I petition the powers that be to consider some ratio wherein a portion of my experience equates to something in the civilian flying world.
When I asked my local FSDO they said that navigator time did not count for anything. The benefits of being able to add 500 hours to my meager 380 total time would be helpful in progressing a pilot career.
For anyone that wants to get REALLY technical, my rating in the Air Force was called "Combat System Officer". Most operation units were not very receptive of the new name for the same position that had always been called "navigator". I just feel a little left out considering it took a lot of training and effort to perform my job, and, not to knock the diligent Flight Engineers of the armed forces, see another crew position receive consideration for their experience.