Cost to add MEI

av8or91

av8or91

Well-Known Member
How much did it cost to add multi engine to your flight instructor certificate? Im on a budget so I want to get this done as cheap as possible. (Like most people I suppose)
 
Cost is very hard to answer, since per hour rates vary so much.

Hours is also very hard to guess, like how long does it take to solo?

You are aware that you need 15 hours ME-PIC time in ME, right?

So most people get about 1.3 ME-PIC on your ME checkride, so they get about 13.7 or so dual training (also ME-PIC) in prep for the ME-CFI.
 
nosehair said:
Cost is very hard to answer, since per hour rates vary so much.

Hours is also very hard to guess, like how long does it take to solo?

You are aware that you need 15 hours ME-PIC time in ME, right?

So most people get about 1.3 ME-PIC on your ME checkride, so they get about 13.7 or so dual training (also ME-PIC) in prep for the ME-CFI.
Click to expand...

You need the 15 hours PIC to be eligible to take the checkride. You can't count the time you spend during your checkride towards the 15 hours, AFAIK.

If you are relatively proficient in the airplane you will be flying, it will probably take about 4-10 hours of flight training. There are only a couple of new maneuvers.
 
I just recently added my MEI and it cost me about 3,500 dollars. I did about 8 hours safety pilot with another instructor doing his MEI and about 6 hours of dual from our assistant chief. The only thing different about your MEI checkride is that you have to do a drag demo and you don't have to do an instrument app. Our Seminole costed me 202 hr with the instructor rate and I had to pay 20 bux an hr to the flight instructor.

Have fun w/ it. It was really nice to fly an airplane again instead of just watching others fly.
 
Thanks for the info. I was going to do it at UND but its close 5 grand which seems excessive. Im going to check out my local flight school when I return home in a few days.
 
Ok... I think the confusion over whether you can count checkride time is over which checkride you're talking about. You need 15 ME PIC prior to taking your MEI checkride.

The 1.3 (or whatever) from your Commercial ME checkride counts. The time for your MEI checkride will be in addition to your 15 hours.
 
floridaCFII said:
Ok... I think the confusion over whether you can count checkride time is over which checkride you're talking about. You need 15 ME PIC prior to taking your MEI checkride.

The 1.3 (or whatever) from your Commercial ME checkride counts. The time for your MEI checkride will be in addition to your 15 hours.
Click to expand...


Not with this MEI - I sat for my MEI ride with 13.7 hours multi PIC, the examiner allowed the 1.3 checkride to count toward the 15.
 
CTFlyer said:
Not with this MEI - I sat for my MEI ride with 13.7 hours multi PIC, the examiner allowed the 1.3 checkride to count toward the 15.
Click to expand...

61.183 seems clear to me...

To be eligible for a flight instructor certificate or rating a person must

(j) Log at least 15 hours as pilot in command in the category and class of aircraft that is appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought; and
Click to expand...

Meaning you are NOT eligible to take the checkride unless you have that 15 hours.

Also, page 8 of the PTS:

An applicant holding a flight instructor certificate who applies for an
additional rating on that certificate is required by 14 CFR to:
1. hold a valid pilot certificate with ratings appropriate to the flight
instructor rating sought;
2. have at least 15 hours as pilot-in-command in the category and
class aircraft appropriate to the rating sought;
Click to expand...

If anyone has any evidence(besides "my DPE let me do it") other than what is posted, I am all ears.
 
I did it for right around $850 plus DPE fee. I lucked out, however because I had a few contract flying jobs flying an Aztec around so that's how I got my 15 hours PIC. I then flew with a fellow MEI, we did 2 flights in the Seminole, total of around 2.5 hours, then the 1.1 checkride flight. I did most of the studying on my own and just talked to other MEIs around to make sure I knew the stuff. The MEI who signed me off was nice enough to not charge for the instruction. If you can work out a deal like that with a fellow instructor, it should be cheap.

Again to reiterate, your CMEL checkride COUNTS towards the 15 hours PIC. Once you HAVE 15 hours Multi-PIC, you can TAKE the MEI ride.
 
CTFlyer said:
Not with this MEI - I sat for my MEI ride with 13.7 hours multi PIC, the examiner allowed the 1.3 checkride to count toward the 15.
Click to expand...

You got lucky... that's not the typical interpretation of that reg. You must have found a friendly (or clueless) DPE.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top