Multi-Engine Rating

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
Dreaming out loud for a moment....

Sorta like we talk about 50-60 hours as the typical/average amount for getting your ASEL, what is the typical/average amount of time someone would spend to train for the MEL rating?
 
Probably somewhat dependent on the time they needed for the first rating.

Some do it in less than 5, some need more than 20.

AggieMike88 said:
Dreaming out loud for a moment....

Sorta like we talk about 50-60 hours as the typical/average amount for getting your ASEL, what is the typical/average amount of time someone would spend to train for the MEL rating?
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AggieMike88 said:
Dreaming out loud for a moment....

Sorta like we talk about 50-60 hours as the typical/average amount for getting your ASEL, what is the typical/average amount of time someone would spend to train for the MEL rating?
Click to expand...

Typical is 5-6 hrs and a check ride.
 
Henning said:
Typical is 5-6 hrs and a check ride.
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Henning is wrong. Typical, based on my couple of hundred hours of ME training given, is 8-12 plus a check. Less if VFR only, more if no or limited prior complex experience. And Jeff is "wright" -- you can do this in a weekend with good weather if you do ground school on Friday evening.
 
And the fact that most places won't rent the plane to you after you get the rating should be the first clue about what you've learned.

Ron Levy said:
Henning is wrong. Typical, based on my couple of hundred hours of ME training given, is 8-12 plus a check. Less if VFR only, more if no or limited prior complex experience. And Jeff is "wright" -- you can do this in a weekend with good weather if you do ground school on Friday evening.
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It depends, but doing with a school like ATP, is typically a few days with 7-10 hours for multi-instrument. If you are sharp on instrument procedures, it's quicker than if you are struggling with NDB and other emergency procedures when you show up for training. ;)
I think mine was 10 hours or so, way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, 1992. :dunno:
 
Did it with seven hours and a check ride with 4 hours of ground school ,studying systems for the oral. Already had the instrument .
 
I seem to recall it took me around 15 or something. An easy rating as far as ratings go.
 
BTW, I've seen places where they get you through in two days with 5-6 hours of flight training (even as little as 4), but they all have tame examiners and won't let you take the plane afterward (and nobody else will, either). So, do you want to be an ME pilot, or just have an ME rating on your pilot certificate? I can point you in the appropriate direction either way.
 
Ron Levy said:
So, do you want to be an ME pilot, or just have an ME rating on your pilot certificate? I can point you in the appropriate direction either way.
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If/when I did it, I'd want the former.

Thank you for the information so far, folks. ME is a ways out (not a need, not event a want at this time). But it's always good to gain understanding of what it's about should someone else pose the question to me.
 
He asked about a rating, there are numerous adds for ME ratings for $1500 or less. Will it make to a proficient ME pilot? No, but that wasn't the question was it? A PP rating doesn't make you a profiecient SE pilot either. In order to rent ME most places require a minimum 25hrs for the insurance, that wasn't the question though, was it? The question was about obtaining the rating. Typically outside a structured 141 abinitio to the airlines course the ratings are done by lowest price rating mills as a substitute for a FR by someone collecting ratings, or they are done in a new twin owner's plane to become legal and insured, and that is not the situation presented here.
 
Henning said:
He asked about a rating, there are numerous adds for ME ratings for $1500 or less. Will it make to a proficient ME pilot? No, but that wasn't the question was it? A PP rating doesn't make you a profiecient SE pilot either. In order to rent ME most places require a minimum 25hrs for the insurance, that wasn't the question though, was it? The question was about obtaining the rating. Typically outside a structured 141 abinitio to the airlines course the ratings are done by lowest price rating mills as a substitute for a FR by someone collecting ratings, or they are done in a new twin owner's plane to become legal and insured, and that is not the situation presented here.
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Regardless of all that, 5-6 hours is not "typical," as you said it was. 8-12 hours is.
 
Ron Levy said:
Regardless of all that, 5-6 hours is not "typical," as you said it was. 8-12 hours is.
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How do you think these guys are selling $1500 ME ratings operating 8-12hrs? Or are you counting ground time? If you're counting ground, then yeah, 8-12 is about right.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Sorta like we talk about 50-60 hours as the typical/average amount for getting your ASEL, what is the typical/average amount of time someone would spend to train for the MEL rating?
Click to expand...

Like alot of things "it depends". Stretch it out and you could be looking at 12 or more hours. Immerse yourself, 6 hours is doable.

I got both my complex and M/E rating over a weekend, including ground school, ~7 hours of flight time and the check ride on a Sunday.

The issue with the M/E rating is you basically are training for something that may never happen... which means your skills disappear as they aren't used. If you are serious, you need to do re-occurring training on a regular basis.

As others have mentioned, you'll likely not be able to rent as a newly minted M/E pilot but that has more to do with insurance requirements. As a ~10hr ME/complex pilot that insurance company required another 10 hrs of dual in an Aztec/Seneca or 25 hr in a 310/Baron before they would cut me loose on my own.
 
Henning said:
For 7hrs, about right, $240hr, did that include the check ride?
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That was extra. All in, an additional $350 for the check ride, $80 for the motel and about $40 in food. However, I got the airplane for 1hr for the checkride at no additional cost

It was a mo-gas Apache.
 
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When I did it I felt ready after 6 hours (3 x2 hr block lessons). I paid for a package deal with 8 hrs dual and of course used those to practice further.

PS: In my case I wanted to just get the rating as cheaply as possible to build an absolute minimum of time to get a certain job. I personally would not consider myself competent right now to fly a light twin or to instruct in one. The rating, however, was necessary to get me hired to go fly a twin turboprop and that included a whole bunch more type-specific training to get me proficient on that type.
 
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Jeff K said:
That was extra. All in, an additional $350 for the check ride, $80 for the motel and about $40 in food. However, I got the airplane for 1hr for the checkride at no additional cost

It was a mo-gas Apache.
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I just did my MEI with Tom Brady last month. Still $1,695, but the examiner charges $400 now. Still a good deal.

These programs are great for folks who want to have the rating to have the opportunity to log AMEL time in the future, like acting as safety pilot, test flying planes for purchase, etc. The insurance companies are going to want specific dual time in any plane you solo, so that's your opportunity to solidify your learning from the accelerated programs.
 
Henning said:
He asked about a rating, .....
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Henning, your picking nits and causing an unneeded ruckus.

Yes, I used the term rating. But I didn't intend the question to imply the minimum amount of time to be ready for the checkride.

My preferred standard is to properly prepare for beyond the checkride so that I am no danger to myself or any future passengers.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Henning, your picking nits and causing an unneeded ruckus.

Yes, I used the term rating. But I didn't intend the question to imply the minimum amount of time to be ready for the checkride.

My preferred standard is to properly prepare for beyond the checkride so that I am no danger to myself or any future passengers.
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The rating mills have you ready for the checkride. You can spend what you want and use the time you please, but if you are a proficient pilot getting into an entry level twin trainer, you'll be ready to pass the ride in 6 hrs, it's not freaking difficult. Your standard is not relevant to the PTS. If you want to be safe with friends and family, figure 25hrs with 10 of that in the box getting rotation cuts and the kitchen sink thrown at you. They are two different standards, be careful what you ask for.:D
 
Henning said:
The rating mills have you ready for the checkride. You can spend what you want and use the time you please, but if you are a proficient pilot getting into an entry level twin trainer, you'll be ready to pass the ride in 6 hrs, it's not freaking difficult. Your standard is not relevant to the PTS. If you want to be safe with friends and family, figure 25hrs with 10 of that in the box getting rotation cuts and the kitchen sink thrown at you. They are two different standards, be careful what you ask for.:D
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Yup. Agreed. But this question wasn't intended for you and Ron to lock horns over.
 
5.8 plus check ride, VFR only

I was already proficient with complex planes so that helped, I was told that before going for an instrument add on I should be proficient there as well.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Yup. Agreed. But this question wasn't intended for you and Ron to lock horns over.
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Two 20,000+ posters in the same thread? That's almost a given :goofy:

Yeah, I read the question the same way Henning did... to get the rating.

You want safe... that also depends. In my case I had close to 50 hours before I started hauling passengers... and that was in a 3 month time period after I got my airplane.
 
Henning said:
How much did you pay for your ME rating?
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$170/hr Seneca I dry
$40/hr MEI
DPE who frowns at applicants with less than 10hrs
100LL here is about $5.65/gal but you can fuel up cheaper

Mine's on hold until after CFI/CFII, but that's the stats from our school
 
Jeff K said:
Two 20,000+ posters in the same thread? That's almost a given :goofy:

Yeah, I read the question the same way Henning did... to get the rating.

You want safe... that also depends. In my case I had close to 50 hours before I started hauling passengers... and that was in a 3 month time period after I got my airplane.
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As another “depend”…

It depends on the aircraft.

I got a two-hour lesson in a Piper Seminole one weekend before leaving to go to flight safety for initial training on my 340.

My “check ride” the following week was done picking up the examiner in Salt Lake and flying back to Heber city… about 45 min.

Hauling passengers around in the Seminole… no worries at that point

In the 340… I was still a little nervous 40 hours later

.
 
Immelman said:
When I did it I felt ready after 6 hours (3 x2 hr block lessons). I paid for a package deal with 8 hrs dual and of course used those to practice further.

PS: In my case I wanted to just get the rating as cheaply as possible to build an absolute minimum of time to get a certain job. I personally would not consider myself competent right now to fly a light twin or to instruct in one. The rating, however, was necessary to get me hired to go fly a twin turboprop and that included a whole bunch more type-specific training to get me proficient on that type.
Click to expand...

Bingo!
 
AggieMike88 said:
Dreaming out loud for a moment....

Sorta like we talk about 50-60 hours as the typical/average amount for getting your ASEL, what is the typical/average amount of time someone would spend to train for the MEL rating?
Click to expand...

With 5-8 VFR, 10-15 IFR depending on piloting skills and learning ability.
 
I bought an Apache. I was "ready for the checkride" within about 5 to 7 hours. After about 40~50hrs I'd say it started to fit like a glove and single-engine flight was proficient in more real-world situations.
 
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