customx

After looking at various career pilot courses, I'm wondering how much multi time is really necessary, especially if I were to get my MEI. Would I be just as well off with 30-40 hours of multi time and instructing to increase the hours, or is there any key advantage to spending more money on the course and getting 100+ multi hours? The multi-time would be PIC, not safety pilot time. Besides the obvious difference in price, what benefits will I have with paying for more hours?

If any of you are a MEI, how much multi time are you able to log each month? Thanks


*Edit - I forgot to mention that I don't have any of my ratings. I'm planning to go from private-mei. The program that I'm interested in includes 35 hours of PIC multi time. I was thinking of adding 15 additional hours, with a wet price of $185/hr. Will an extra 15 hours really make any difference?

piper338

I got my MEI never used it, flew all singles as an instructor… I would say with the way things are going right now don’t invest in a high cost fast paced program. Because there should be no hurry anymore no one is hiring. Take your time enjoy life, hang out at the airport for fun make connections. But most importantly stay home enjoy the time with your family do not chase a job around unless you have no other choice.

Good luck with your endeavors,


piper

250 or point 65

Are you a commercial pilot? Then you should not pay for time, you should get paid for your time. Get your MEI and instruct. The benefits by far outweigh buying your time. As far as how many hours you get...well that all depends on where you work. Where I worked, they were so in need of MEI's that all the students on my schedule were multi. I left for the airlines with 800 and 200. My friend left with more multi than single. Also, this is quality multi, not just flying across country!

customx

I'm looking at a place like Star Bright Aviation ( Star Bright Aviation ) They have a commercial pilot program, and all three instructor ratings for about $40,000. This also includes housing, materials, checkride fees and written test fees. Like I said above, all of the time is PIC, so it seems like a great deal.

I've been living in Korea for nearly four years and am moving back to earn my ratings. I realize the industry is in the tank right now, but I plan to start next March, finish by August, and probably instruct for a year. I was hoping that with a MEI, I'd be able to build up enough multi time instructing to make myself competitive for some kind of job in about two years (That's the plan at least). I would obviously rather build multi time instructing than pay for it, but that's why I'm asking if there's really much of an advantage to paying more for an extra 50 hours of multi time.

milky

Do you know how long it will take you to pay off $40,000 in loans making $20,000-$30,000/year. Get a job and pay as you go.

customx

Yes, I do know. That's why I've been working in Korea the last four years and saved enough to pay for everything in cash if need be.

ZBowFlyz

*Most* insurance companies want 50 multi PIC to insure any MEI

ILS37R

It's really a crapshoot. If you teach at an academy, you may be able to get consistent multi-time. Otherwise it depends hugely on the students coming in the door. Some months are 0 multi-time, others can be 40-50 hours of it, though the 0 months are more common than the 40 months.

There's no hurry to get the regionals (or similar) right now, so the benefits of a massive multi-PIC program are pretty minimal. What's more important is to get a job teaching at a good school or FBO where they treat you right and pay you reasonably.

In the current climate, the extra 15 hours aren't worth much of anything.

usmc-sgt

I would not pay for ANY extra multi time. In todays market I would just get the multi hours that are required to get you through MEI. The extra X amount of hours will not be enough for anything and cost a TON of unneeded cash.

I was fortunate (sort of) where the school I taught at had a multi but they were sparse on students and they gave the twin time to the senior instructor regardless of who found the students or whos students they were. He left and I ended up being the next in line who met the insurance requirements and had the twin monopoly. Even then I only probably flew 30-40 hours or so in it but it was a start and it was free.

From there things were looking better and word started getting out that I was one of the few MEIs in town (new england is sparse) and I ended up doing a gentlemens commercial multi and MEI in his seneca 5 and then I ended up doing a little work for a guy in his baron which led me to his friend who needed a cfi in his 310...and then to a comanche...and then to a bit of part 91 work in a cessna 414...and you get the idea.

Getting my name out there and a little networking and then simply word of mouth brought me probably 100+ hours outside of the school I taught at.

rickair7777

Yeah, it's hard to say right now. I got mine as an MEI, some of my friends bought thier time, and others didn't get any (they never got airline jobs of course).

MEI is the best way, since you will learn a lot. Right now I would not be in a hurry and would hold out for an MEI or other paying twin job.

However...in some places twin time and MEI jobs are hard to come by. If you can't move to central florida for a puppy-mill job, you might need to evaluate buying some time eventually. Unfortunately, the big puppy-mills are often the only available employer for 20-hour MEI's...small schools, FBOs, and clubs are all likely to have insurance requirements of 50-100 ME to instruct.

Try not to pay for it, but don't end up a 3500 hour ASEL CFI either...that's the fast track to a career as a caravan pilot

I would get the MEI...but try to find a school which will hire you as an MEI afterwards, most prefer to hire their own graduates who are standardized, known quantities.