Hmmm. CFII or MEI first?

Coney

Coney

New Member
In a related thread posted by goingdownthetubes, members discussed the trend of flight schools opting to remove complex singles from their fleet. This same situation has recently affected me. On the day that I took my knowledge exams, I learned that the school at which I had intended to obtain training for the CFI initial no longer has its C-182RG, making its only complex plane a light twin -- a Grumman Cougar to be specific. The flight school personnel suggested that I pursue an MEI first; however, this places me in a bit of a quadry, as I don't yet have a ME rating. So, there I was with my FOI and the FIA exam done and no airplane in which to train.

Any ideas on which avenue to pursue? Thanks in advance.
 
E_Dawg said:
go to a different flight school.
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Wow. You're a real source of wisdom. Thanks for all your help.


The question was CFII or MEI first? Apart from E_Dawg, does anyone have any insight concerning which way to go?
 
Don't have to be a prick about it...

All I'm saying is dont limit yourself because your school sold the 182RG. with a few exceptions an MEI is pretty much worthless as the first instructor cert... and a cfii isn't much better unless your name is lloyd.
 
I got all my instructor certs within a couple weeks of each other. When I started instructing I was mainly working with instrument students because the school had a shortage of CFIIs. I'd say get the CFII first
 
viper548 said:
I got all my instructor certs within a couple weeks of each other. When I started instructing I was mainly working with instrument students because the school had a shortage of CFIIs. I'd say get the CFII first
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I think you'll have alot more of a student base with your CFII rather than your MEI.
 
for sure the double I. Bigger student base, and lots of schools make the instructors wait to start in the multis knowing that it's the beginning of the end for a good employee who leaves for a regional.

Besides , the II add on is a snap. I did two flights and an armload of ground and got it in a week-and I'm no genius!

-LC
 
E_Dawg said:
go to a different flight school.
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agreed. although you might not have liked the answer, uunless you put some risk of investment in you on their part, not giving you the courtest of finishing is not worthy of remaining loyal.

i say get your CFII, but if you have the choice, get your CFI first (more students)
 
I worked at the flight school for almost a year with my MEI before the insurance company would add me to the policy. Once I got added, I didn't do that much multi instruction.
 
In my opinion, the flight school is kind of forcing more money out of you right now by telling you to get the commercial multi and MEI. I would go to a different school just to get the CFI. Than I would come back to where you are now and get the commercial multi, Double I and MEI. Then hopefully the school will hire you.
 
I would listen to E_Dawg, I do not know anyone who made the system work so well for themselves. If you want to make it happen, I would be buying him beer and picking his brain!!
 
Ed knows what he's talking about, seriously.

I got my CFII as the initial, and it was cool! I even got to use it a little bit.

That being said, there wasn't a whole lot of instruction to be done. I'd say to get your CFI first, and then add the others later. As soon as I added my CFI-A to my ticket, I quadrupled my flying. Over six months, that comes out to a good chunk of flying (and income!!!).
 
A CFI-A is Certified Flight Instructor Airplane. The normal progression of the CFI ratings is CFI single first, than CFII: Certified Instrument Instructor, than MEI; Multi Engine Instructor. Some schools have different ways. Some get the CFII, MEI, and than do the CFI single as an add-on.

I still say go to another school, but do it diplomatically. Get the CFI, than come back to the school and get the CFII, Commercial Multi, MEI. This way you still show the school some loyalty and maybe they will hire you when you are done.
 
E_Dawg said:
Don't have to be a prick about it...

All I'm saying is dont limit yourself because your school sold the 182RG. with a few exceptions an MEI is pretty much worthless as the first instructor cert... and a cfii isn't much better unless your name is lloyd.
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Sorry, E_Dawg. I misunderstood your message. I see what you mean, and I think that makes good sense. Thanks!
 
Sorry to hear about the 182RG being pulled off the line at your flight school. Before our Arrow was pulled off the line it was down for awhile for a cracked aileron hinge. One of my CFI applicants did not wish to wait for the plane to be back up so he decided to go for the MEI first. As it turns out this worked for him and adding the CFI-A rating was pretty much a non-event (5 hours in a 152). I recently heard of yet another school in my area that is pushing the CFI-ME as the initial. Granted it isn't for everyone, but so far my experience between having one of my CFI applicants do the MEI first and the other do the CFI-A first is that the MEI first was actually easier and took less hours. Since however you do not have a multi commercial yet I would have to agree that you may wish to seek another school with a complex single to do your CFI-A first following the traditional progression of CFI certificates (CFI-A, CFI-I, CFI-ME) rather than the new trend I have been seeing (CFI-ME, CFI-A, CFI-I). Hope this helps.

Will
 
The way that I see it is, I believe airlines are looking for more Multi time rather than single-engine. So it might not hurt to work on your CFII while you are flying the multi. And at the same time before getting your CFII get your multi rating, then CFII, then MEI all in a days time.
 
Guess I'm confused Coney...I thought you already had the CFI-A. I'd do the the CFI-A, the the II then the multi, for reasons that have been explained above involving faster empoyment.

Good luck!

-LC
 
Here's the way I did it: CFII, MEI and then CFI-A. I thought getting the CFII first might have been a tad bit easier than getting the CFI first. That being said, if you're looking for a CFI job ASAP, then the CFI-A is the way to go first. I was originally going to skip my MEI due to $$$ constraints, and then our Arrow went down for MX for a week. I was able to squeeze in the MEI and then take the CFI-A in a 172 three days later. I'm one of the lucky ones that found an instructing job at a good school with lotsa twin time, so I get to use that MEI quite a bit. Also, like Viper, I got all of my instructor ratings within a week or two of each other.

If you plan on instructing at the same flight school you're at now, the MEI might not be a bad gig since you wouldn't have a SE complex for CSELs anyway. If it's money issues, I'd follow Ed's advice and start looking at other schools.
 
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