License/add-on recommended steps?

D

Dean71

Guest
It makes sense, at least to me, to go for my IFR then my Commercial. However, what is the recommended process after that?

Multi-Engine or CFII

If I get the multi-engine first, then go for the CFI and take the test in a multi-engine aircraft, would I be qualified for instructing in the single as well, or do I have to take the flight portion of the test in each?

thanks

Dean
 
You must take a separate checkride for each category/class of airplane you want on your Flight Instructor Certificate, so you end up taking a CFI-airplane, a CFI-Instrument, and a CFI-ME checkride.

The traditional path is Private-Instrument-Commercial-Multi-CFI-CFII-CFIMEL.
 
Dean71 said:
It makes sense, at least to me, to go for my IFR then my Commercial. However, what is the recommended process after that?

Multi-Engine or CFII
Click to expand...
What are your aviation goals?
Dean71 said:
If I get the multi-engine first, then go for the CFI and take the test in a multi-engine aircraft, would I be qualified for instructing in the single as well, or do I have to take the flight portion of the test in each?
Click to expand...
IIRC, they are totally separate rides. I'm sure someone else can quote chapter and verse, however! I think it's in the PTS and/or FAR ch. 61 at www.faa.gov.
 
Your next level of training really depends on your ultimate goal. Are you looking to gain flight time and experience for to become a professional pilot?

You need 50 hours XC PIC. You need 250 hours total time for a commercial ticket. These are the two largest hurdles toward a professional pilot goal.

One option is you can work on your multiengine rating as a private pilot. That adds to your total time. Throw in some cross country flights and that counts toward the 50 XC PIC required for the instrument rating and of course, total time for commercial. No XC time is required for multiengine but making a flight or two gives you some level experience in the aircraft. You'll make some XC flights during instrument training. In all, that would give you less than ten hours unless you did more during training.

Either way, you'll have to spend some time flying on your own in order to build that 50 XC PIC. So, rather than doing a lot of local playing around plan some distant flights for that $100 hamburger to build the XC PIC time.

Whatever you do, have fun and keep it safe.
 
Tim is correct. Each category and class is a separate ride. You can cut the hours down if you are "in a hurry" by enrolling in a 141 program, but you are really just "buying" the hours then because of the cost of them.
I personally did my IR right after my PP, my CFII and I did EVERY lesson to somewhere that was over 50 from our point of departure, so I could count it as XC, hood time (40 hours required part 61 for the IR) and PIC time towards my TT. Basically got three birds for the same buck.

Mark B
 
headExplode.gif
 
But isn't the commercial considered a license?

X-C time ceased being a problem a while back. When I started flying after getting my private, I only stayed local about one out of every 5 flights. My total flight time indicates over half is X-C, 75% of PIC is X-C. It was only after getting the required 50 hrs that I started doing more local flying.

If all goes well, I should have the IFR completed in the next month followed by a couple of months of building time towards the Commercial. I enjoy teaching, so the CFI won't be just a step towards building time.

Thanks for all your input
 
Dean71 said:
But isn't the commercial considered a license
Click to expand...
Technically, it's a certificate, not a license. There are actually distinctions between the two that don't concern anyone but lawyers and EdFred. His head exploded anyway, so now it's just the lawyers.:rofl:
 
Dean71 said:
But isn't the commercial considered a license?

X-C time ceased being a problem a while back. When I started flying after getting my private, I only stayed local about one out of every 5 flights. My total flight time indicates over half is X-C, 75% of PIC is X-C. It was only after getting the required 50 hrs that I started doing more local flying.

If all goes well, I should have the IFR completed in the next month followed by a couple of months of building time toward the Commercial. I enjoy teaching, so the CFI won't be just a step to wards building time.

Thanks for all your input
Click to expand...
Good deal on the time you've accumulated for cross country. Many bumble around on local flights completely forgetting what they need for an instrument rating. At this point, you can continue and simply complete the instrument rating in a single engine aircraft. That is, unless you want to dig right into multiengine then later build multi time during an instrument rating. Discuss that with your CFI as he can best evaluate where you are and the best course of action given your current skill and experience level.

As far as the "licenses" are concerned, you can get a better idea in 61.5 with regard to airman certificates and ratings.
 
It seems, then, that your aviation goals are "Collect one, collect them all". Perhaps airlines?

The multi makes sense if you think you're going to use it. In my case, I love twins, so the multi has been a goal for me since I started flying to allow me to fulfill that. However, if you're not going to actually use the multi, there's not a lot of point in it.

I'd emphasize to become a CFI if you want to teach and feel that you've got enough experience to teach well. For CFII, make sure you have some experience with what instrument conditions really are like and what people get into when flying in instrument flight. There are too many CFIIs out there who have little (if any) instrument time, and those people provide a great disservice to their students. To me, it's important that a teacher actually have enough experience that he or she can convey that experience to the student, not just be able to teach a student to fulfill some checklist requirements.
 
I saw this post and didn't remember writing it, another Dean :yikes: I am Dean, there can't be two of us, people around here are confused enough.:D
 
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