From kls Sat Sep 4 11:38:27 1999 Path: bounce-back Newsgroups: sci.aeronautics.airliners,aus.aviation,misc.transport.air-industry Date: 04 Sep 99 11:38:27 From: "Russell Short" Subject: QF Flight Engineers Dying? Message-ID: Approved: kls@ohare.Chicago.COM Sender: kls@ohare.Chicago.COM Organization: The Internet Group Ltd It has arisen that 13 flight engineers flying for QF have died in the last six years of brain tumours. Another unspecified amount have had cancerous tumours removed by the various medical means available. According to a QF Senior Technical Specialist in avionics, fears have been around for years regarding electric and magnetic fields around the FE panel in the 747 Classic (and indeed other 3-crew aircraft). Forward Facing flight crews are not experiencing the same rate of death due to brain cancers leading to circumstantial evidence suggesting that being a flight engineer can indeed be a health hazard. QF has recently advertised for nine more FEs, according to one FE flying with the airline. Comments? Russell Short.