Commercial Multiengine Add-on Checkride

[HighFlyingA380]

Hi ya'll, I'm getting ready for my commercial multiengine add-on checkride here in a week or two. I have been unable to get in contact with someone up here that has done this recently to get some insight as to what to expect. Any tips/suggestions would be awesome.

From what I have gathered via my MEI's speculations, the oral would be basics about flying multis, aircraft-specific systems, and single engine ops. The flight portion is the bigger 'mystery,' but it seems like it would just be some basic maneuvers (steep turns, stalls, slow flight, ect), engine failures (climb, cruise, and approach), and a single-engine instrument approach.

Now for a couple more specific questions:
Reading in the Com. PTS, #5 in the prerequisite section states that the applicant must have passed the appropriate com. pilot knowledge test withing the last 24 calendar months. Does that hold true for the multi add-on? I know it's been quite a while since I did the com. written, and I got my SEL com. certificate in mid-May. I just won't be able to access my records for about a week to see the actual date of my written, so I need to know if I should expect to retake the written.

Does anyone happen to know where the prop governor is located on the BE-76? No instructor or maintenance folks can answer me, and they are too friggin' lazy to take a look under the hood for me or allow me to. I just know from past experience that the CFI/DPE that I'm taking the tests with is big on testing knowledge of VP/CS prop systems, so I'd like to know where it's actually located.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[wabower]

Most governors are located on the side of the case near the prop, mounted horizontally with the speeder spring and prop lever attachment at the end.

The DPE will want to see a VMC demo, a VYSE demo, a shutdown-restart, a simulated S/E landing among other stuff.

Hi ya'll, I'm getting ready for my commercial multiengine add-on checkride here in a week or two. I have been unable to get in contact with someone up here that has done this recently to get some insight as to what to expect. Any tips/suggestions would be awesome.

From what I have gathered via my MEI's speculations, the oral would be basics about flying multis, aircraft-specific systems, and single engine ops. The flight portion is the bigger 'mystery,' but it seems like it would just be some basic maneuvers (steep turns, stalls, slow flight, ect), engine failures (climb, cruise, and approach), and a single-engine instrument approach.

Now for a couple more specific questions:
Reading in the Com. PTS, #5 in the prerequisite section states that the applicant must have passed the appropriate com. pilot knowledge test withing the last 24 calendar months. Does that hold true for the multi add-on? I know it's been quite a while since I did the com. written, and I got my SEL com. certificate in mid-May. I just won't be able to access my records for about a week to see the actual date of my written, so I need to know if I should expect to retake the written.

Does anyone happen to know where the prop governor is located on the BE-76? No instructor or maintenance folks can answer me, and they are too friggin' lazy to take a look under the hood for me or allow me to. I just know from past experience that the CFI/DPE that I'm taking the tests with is big on testing knowledge of VP/CS prop systems, so I'd like to know where it's actually located.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[bbchien]

Expect: A throttle power kill, one engine, on the departure roll (PLEASE taxi back), departure, then a Vmca demo, an ILS, then an engine KILL just after the missed has begun (prob 500 agl, new guidance), go around, restart at altitude, and then a simulated one engine ILS. This is about the most maximally time-efficient ride that fills the boxes.

 

[poadeleted20]

From what I have gathered via my MEI's speculations, the oral would be basics about flying multis, aircraft-specific systems, and single engine ops. The flight portion is the bigger 'mystery,' but it seems like it would just be some basic maneuvers (steep turns, stalls, slow flight, ect), engine failures (climb, cruise, and approach), and a single-engine instrument approach.

I'm surprised the practical test is such a mystery to your instructor, but a perusal of the PTS, in particular the items listed for an AMEL additional rating in the Additional Rating Task Table, should clear up most if not all of that. That table will tell you which Areas/Tasks will be tested on this ride.

Reading in the Com. PTS, #5 in the prerequisite section states that the applicant must have passed the appropriate com. pilot knowledge test withing the last 24 calendar months. Does that hold true for the multi add-on? I know it's been quite a while since I did the com. written, and I got my SEL com. certificate in mid-May. I just won't be able to access my records for about a week to see the actual date of my written, so I need to know if I should expect to retake the written.

As your instructor should be aware, if you're doing an additional class rating within a category you already hold, you need not retake the written test. See 61.63(c)(4), with which your instructor should be familiar.

Does anyone happen to know where the prop governor is located on the BE-76? No instructor or maintenance folks can answer me,

I've never flown a BE76, so I don't know, but if neither your instructor nor the people maintaining that plane know where the prop governors are, you need to find more knowledgable personnel to train you and maintain the plane you're flying.

and they are too friggin' lazy to take a look under the hood for me or allow me to. I just know from past experience that the CFI/DPE that I'm taking the tests with is big on testing knowledge of VP/CS prop systems, so I'd like to know where it's actually located.

Good idea. Go back to your instructor and demand that s/he help you find the answer, either in the manuals or "under the hood." Remember that you are paying them for the training, so they better by-George give you the necessary training. If the DPE to whom they're sending you asks about this, and your instructor doesn't train you on it, then you aren't, as your recommending instructor must certify IAW 61.39(a)(6)(ii), "prepared for the required practical test."

 

[HighFlyingA380]

Most governors are located on the side of the case near the prop, mounted horizontally with the speeder spring and prop lever attachment at the end.

That's what we all thought, until we looked in the front. It's not there. My instructors best guess is that it's on the back. I'm going to go to the maint. shop again today and demand an answer.

Expect: A throttle power kill, one engine, on the departure roll (PLEASE taxi back)...

Good call! My instructor has never had me do that in training, but definitely good thing to remember on the checkride.

I'm surprised the practical test is such a mystery to your instructor, but a perusal of the PTS, in particular the items listed for an AMEL additional rating in the Additional Rating Task Table, should clear up most if not all of that. That table will tell you which Areas/Tasks will be tested on this ride.

As your instructor should be aware, if you're doing an additional class rating within a category you already hold, you need not retake the written test. See 61.63(c)(4), with which your instructor should be familiar.

I've never flown a BE76, so I don't know, but if neither your instructor nor the people maintaining that plane know where the prop governors are, you need to find more knowledgable personnel to train you and maintain the plane you're flying.

Good idea. Go back to your instructor and demand that s/he help you find the answer, either in the manuals or "under the hood." Remember that you are paying them for the training, so they better by-George give you the necessary training. If the DPE to whom they're sending you asks about this, and your instructor doesn't train you on it, then you aren't, as your recommending instructor must certify IAW 61.39(a)(6)(ii), "prepared for the required practical test."

Fore some reason I missed that table while browsing through the PTS. Found it now, and that clears up a bunch, thanks!

Absolutely agree about getting more knowledgeable people. I've had an issue with this for the 3 years I've been at the university. Luckily we just got a new Dean that's really making some good changes to fix these issues.

 

[poadeleted20]

Absolutely agree about getting more knowledgeable people. I've had an issue with this for the 3 years I've been at the university. Luckily we just got a new Dean that's really making some good changes to fix these issues.

This is at a university aviation program? Sheesh. Not an AABI-accredited one, I hope. Glad the new Dean is fixing things.

 

[HighFlyingA380]

This is at a university aviation program? Sheesh. Not an AABI-accredited one, I hope. Glad the new Dean is fixing things.

Yup, we are AABI-accredited. From what I heard through gossip, we almost didn't meet all the requirements last time were were up for renewal. But I have high hopes for the new guy; he sound like he's got his stuff together and really knows what's going on. I'm just sad that I happened to hit it when things were at their worst. Oh well, it is what it is.

BTW, if anybody is curious, I figured out where the prop governor is on the BE-76; It's on the back of the engine with all the accessories, and the oil is sent through ports in the crank case housing to the hub. I guess I just caught them at a bad time last time I asked last time, because the two guys I talked to today were extremely knowledgeable about it, and didn't have to look anything up.

 

[BillTIZ]

My ME add-on at the Commercial level was a few years ago.
An add on does not require a new written exam. But you should be prepared for everything for the oral. My oral concentrated on the aerodynamic differences of single vs Multi, rudder, airflows, counter rotating props vs not and the effects and benefits of each.

Fly, engine fail prior to rotation, sim engine roll back after takeoff, identify, verify, rectify, but not to secure the engine, he gave it back. Hood work, ILS both engines under the hood, LOC with one simulated failed, zero thrust, not shut down, under the hood, missed approach, single engine. Yes the Seneca II with turbo will climb on one engine. Got both engines back to fly to the air work area. Under the hood, Vmc demo, then shut down, secure one engine and restart, all under the hood holding heading and altitude.

With the engine back running but simulated zero thrust, VFR into the traffic pattern for a SE landing, taxi back and pattern for an accuracy landing with both engines. He offered the accuracy with the SE but not required, not a deal breaker, I did it anyway.

The hood work gave me instrument privileges to the Multi engine along with my ASEL IFR rating.