Inconvenient Annoyances

They call the technicians that come to fix our photo lab equipment "engineers"... I object. They are technicians at best. Some barely know how to fix the lab equipment. It dimishes the advanced degrees that US engineers need to be called as such.

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My husband is an engineer and it's amazing how it's not a respected field here.  But that's because EVERYONE calls themselves an engineer.

The guy who came to try to fix my oven called himself an engineer! 

My husband is an engineer and it's amazing how it's not a respected field here.  But that's because EVERYONE calls themselves an engineer.

What would the UK equivalent of a real, US  advanced degree holding engineer be?

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What would the UK equivalent of a real, US  advanced degree holding engineer be?

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My husband is a Mechanical Engineer.  Same degree as the USA.  Just not overly respected by people here.  For a start the average starting salary for an ME in the USA is $58,600.  The average starting salary for an ME in the UK is £20,000.

Yesterday at work I had to deal with what I can only refer to as an arrogant old bastard. The politer way of putting it might be dangerous old Dinosaur...

I work at an aircraft design and manufacturer as a Safety Engineering Manager for a whole product line worldwide. In a former life, I was an advisor to the British government on aircraft safety. Day to day, I try not to carry that around too much.

This guy (outside of my dep and I've not had to work with him before) was giving me the whole "I am more experienced" (approaching retirement) gambit "so I know better". Trouble is, it quickly became apparent that not only did he not know better, he hadn't a clue about the most basic Safety Engineering practices and I have now noted that it's likely I will have to take over his work and throw it away. I politely smiled at him whilst not backing down from what I needed him to do and then walked off thinking "what a useless, arrogant, tw*t muffin".

It's become my understanding that in the Engineering world, some (not all) of these old guys are really f*cking dangerous because:

- They continue to use out-of-date, often incorrect processes and refuse to work with others.

- They think they know better than anybody else and will aggressively push to issue incorrect advice and analysis.

Not on my watch sunshine. Not when I have to sign it for it to be issued. I feel this guy could be a pain, especially when I rip this sack of proverbial right open next week...

Rant over, normal service resumed! Sorry for the French...

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I feel like I could've used your support yesterday! As we were boarding our EasyJet flight home, one of the engines was starting up (moving slowly) and it sounded like something was  causing a "pinging" noise (not sure if I described that right), as if something was caught in it. Think of like a bike wheel with something clanging against the spokes (like a playing card).As we were climbing up the stairs, my mate said "that doesn't sound right" and my husband instantly glared daggers at him but it was too late...I said "no...nope...it really doesn't.... I don't like this..."

We mentioned to the flight staff and they said it was normal. I'm not so convinced lol. I feel like out of anyone, you would know....Thoughts?



Also, KF - hows the girl?

I am a real Engineer! I have a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from a well respected Engineering university. I am also a Chartered Engineer (legally protected title which is a pinnacle achievement in the Engineering industry worldwide and is a peer review process with a requirement for Continued Professional Development).  Chartered Engineers are members of professional Engineering institutions and have to be registered with the UK Engineering Council. This is similar to a Professional Engineering License (PE License) in the US.

It utterly pisses me off that everybody thinks they're an Engineer. Not that I don't have respect for extremely skilled workmen/women and technicians (I couldn't do what they do) but they are not Engineers. I am paid less than 50k for a job I could be paid 100k or more for anywhere else in the world purely because everybody in this country thinks they're an Engineer.

This is something that regularly features in our community news feeds and lobbying with government through our respective institutions and unions. If I tell people I am an Engineer, they expect I am the Sky dish installer. I am not, I design aircraft for a living.

Jesus Jimbo, see what you started lol!!!!

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I feel like I could've used your support yesterday! As we were boarding our EasyJet flight home, one of the engines was starting up (moving slowly) and it sounded like something was  causing a "pinging" noise (not sure if I described that right), as if something was caught in it. Think of like a bike wheel with something clanging against the spokes (like a playing card).As we were climbing up the stairs, my mate said "that doesn't sound right" and my husband instantly glared daggers at him but it was too late...I said "no...nope...it really doesn't.... I don't like this..."

We mentioned to the flight staff and they said it was normal. I'm not so convinced lol. I feel like out of anyone, you would know....Thoughts?



Also, KF - hows the girl?

Yes, this is normal. You would be surprised at how little effort is required to turn a jet engine. I've done it with my little finger on a GE CF6 we had back in my old university lab. The CF6 was the Engine of choice for the MD DC-10 and MD-11 aircraft from way back in the glory days. It gives you an idea of just how efficient these Engines are (don't get me started in the enviromentalists, I hate them too lol).

The wind will very easily turn an engine on the stand. The clicking you can hear is the gearing between the fan blades and the low speed compressors within the Engine core. Nothing to worry about at all. It's a bit like pedalling a geared bike backwards, same sort of thing you can hear just on a larger scale.

Hope that helps. Also, single engine failure would be quite unlikely to result in catastrophe. It could but a lot else would need to go wrong first...

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My husband is a Mechanical Engineer.  Same degree as the USA.  Just not overly respected by people here.  For a start the average starting salary for an ME in the USA is $58,600.  The average starting salary for an ME in the UK is £20,000.

But the title is the same? They aren't called something else to distinguish them from these so called engineers that are really technicians?

If not, that is disappointing. It enrages me and I'm not an engineer or even a technician.  Lol.

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Nope, my job title is Platform Safety Manager/Principal Engineer. I can also use my title of Chartered Engineer which means something and is protected but I don't often do that. So for all intents and purposes, to your bloke in the pub, I am obviously a boiler tech...

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I am a real Engineer! I have a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from a well respected Engineering university. I am also a Chartered Engineer (legally protected title which is a pinnacle achievement in the Engineering industry worldwide and is a peer review process with a requirement for Continued Professional Development).  Chartered Engineers are members of professional Engineering institutions and have to be registered with the UK Engineering Council. This is similar to a Professional Engineering License (PE License) in the US.

It utterly pisses me off that everybody thinks they're an Engineer. Not that I don't have respect for extremely skilled workmen/women and technicians (I couldn't do what they do) but they are not Engineers. I am paid less than 50k for a job I could be paid 100k or more for anywhere else in the world purely because everybody in this country thinks they're an Engineer.

This is something that regularly features in our community news feeds and lobbying with government through our respective institutions and unions. If I tell people I am an Engineer, they expect I am the Sky dish installer. I am not, I design aircraft for a living.

Jesus Jimbo, see what you started lol!!!!

YES YES YES YES YES YES


I too am a Chartered Engineer  -  which is our only recourse as being a 'true' engineer.   

But the title is the same? They aren't called something else to distinguish them from these so called engineers that are really technicians?

If not, that is disappointing. It enrages me and I'm not an engineer or even a technician.  Lol.

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Nope, nothing distinguished, expect as Dave & PB have said, they are members of the Chartered Engineers but my husband just tells everyone he's a project manager (which he is).  He is the project manager on a job and has 250 "proper" engineers under him.  LOL. 

Yes, this is normal. You would be surprised at how little effort is required to turn a jet engine. I've done it with my little finger on a GE CF6 we had back in my old university lab. The CF6 was the Engine of choice for the MD DC-10 and MD-11 aircraft from way back in the glory days. It gives you an idea of just how efficient these Engines are (don't get me started in the enviromentalists, I hate them too lol).

The wind will very easily turn an engine on the stand. The clicking you can hear is the gearing between the fan blades and the low speed compressors within the Engine core. Nothing to worry about at all. It's a bit like pedalling a geared bike backwards, same sort of thing you can hear just on a larger scale.

Hope that helps. Also, single engine failure would be quite unlikely to result in catastrophe. It could but a lot else would need to go wrong first...

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That does help, thanks Dave When I mentioned to say "is it supposed to make that noise??" they knew exactly what noise it was as they described it to me and said "that noise? Yeah. It's fine don't worry!" so it helped as they showed they weren't just saying that lol.

Now I just need to not freak my sh*t every time we hit a bump in the sky.

That does help, thanks Dave When I mentioned to say "is it supposed to make that noise??" they knew exactly what noise it was as they described it to me and said "that noise? Yeah. It's fine don't worry!" so it helped as they showed they weren't just saying that lol.

Now I just need to not freak my sh*t every time we hit a bump in the sky.

Makes me think of that scene in Bridesmaids!   

Makes me think of that scene in Bridesmaids!   

hahahah something like that, yes.

I do love the turbulence gotta admit that... At the moment I am fascinated by this whole 737 Max thing. It's very unusual that we design an unsafe aircraft but they seem to have achieved it with that one. Sooo many interested threads to that discussion though. I could bore you all for hours. Personally, I'd not recommend a flight on one...

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