Comm-MEI

[meyers9163]

I've posted over on Ariben forum and didnt get much back so I'm curious about what Skymates would have to offer.I am working on my PPL and honestly it'll take me until October/Novemeber to finish that (probably about 60 hours). I was thinking I'd do an IFR after that at the Local FBO due to my final year of college and not able to go anywhere until I graduate. So my question is if I get the PPL/IFR and have about 110hours what would be a possible path or course of action for skymates to get comm-mei? And if possible what would a course like comm-mei roughly cost? Idealy it'd be nice to instruct there but if I get my ratings I'm sure I could find a job if Skymates would not hire someone who doesnt do all their ratings and or if they just dont have a need so I'm not worried about that. Just want to get the ratings and then worry about that.

Thank you!

 

[BrettInLJ]

I came to Skymates with my private and instrument and now I'm an instructor here. Depending on if you would be doing a career course with a lot of multi time, or wanted to do the low budget route you could either timebuild in a 172 or get your multiengine add-on and timebuild in the Seminole. There is always a few people doing multi or single timebuilding to pair up with.

If you have not flown complex before figure about 15 hours dual in the Arrow, so you would want to have about 235 hours when starting the commercial training.

The career programs are detailed on the website, but are based on the block rate and average time to complete the ratings. The order you do things in and time schedule is completely flexible and won't cost you any more because of that fact.

As far as becoming a CFI here, there has been a very good track record recently of those going through the program that want to instruct being offered a job. Again, no guarantees but its all about working hard and having a good attitude. PM me, JohnHerreshoff, or call Skymates if you have any more questions.

 

[Turbo Mcfloat]

Rough guess of 15-20 thousand, but largely depends on how much multi time you want, the minimum 15 hours PIC for the MEI or more. You'd need about 150-170 hours (I'm guessing I'm going to finish with around 290TT) which you can do either single or multi time. The three CFI certs would be 5-7k.

For the cheapest route, timebuild for your commercial in a single, get to about 235 hours, and save the last 15 to transition into a complex airplane, which is a requirement of your initial commercial ride. Then do your CMEL addon, which will take 5-10 hours with an instructor. At this point you need to fly a couple trips in the twin and get about 10 hours PIC. Save the last 5 for MEI prep. Then start the CFI program

For more multi time...
get a private multi license first
decide how much multi time you want and do your timebuilding in a twin or single or a combination of both. You still have to do the commercial ride in a complex, but whether you do it in a single or twin depends on what plane you want to take for 10 hours(5 day 5 night) of solo flight . If you want to do your CMEL first and you did NOT get a private multi, you can fly those 10 hours in the twin with an instructor. So here you have a choice, CSEL or CMEL initial.
CSEL = moving over to a complex single, the Piper Arrow at Skymates, and learning the maneuvers in it. say 5 to 10 hours for that. the CMEL addon would be quick (~3 hours) because you already know the plane.
CMEL first = It's the same maneuvers you did for the private, stalls/slowflight/steep turns and engine out procedures, single engine approach. For the single addon you can do the commercial maneuvers in a C172.

So for a breakdown (Assuming 110TT and coming to skymates )
Cheap:
125-130 hours timebuilding in a 172
10-15 hours dual in an Arrow
CSEL checkride
~10 hours dual in a seminole
CMEL addon

More multi:
~10 hours dual in a seminole
AMEL checkride
120 hours timebuilding, break it up anyway you want between single/multi
At this point you have 240TT, and either way for the initial, you'll have 15ish hours dual for the both of them
15 hours dual, 10 single 5 multi

Then the CFI program. Get the rates off of the website and start adding it up, I'm too lazy. This was also to just meet the minimum requirements of 250 hours TT, you can of course, do as much as you want.

 

[Flyingbug]

Hello Todd nice reply...a load of info thanks....!

I have a canadian Commercial/Multi/IFR total about 265 hrs. after talking to the folks at FAA I know that conversion to U.S licenses requires comm and I.R written tests which i wrote and passed and also a commercial flight test on a S.E or M.E depending on what i want and I.R flight test.

type flown are c-172/152 and piper seminole for my I.R with garmin 430
At this time on the basis of my canadian commercial the faa has given me a private license with single and multi egine land.

I am only short of a comm flight test + I.R flight test for my license conversion....for which looking at the website i don't think i will need the whole 10-15 hrs of commercial training on the arrow for CASEL or seminole for CAMEL ....and maybe a few hrs on the arrow or 172 for I.R ...

have you known of anybody in a similar situation who has converted his foriegn licenses and if you know how much it costs roughly if all hr requirements are met.

any advice would be helpful. thanks