How did you get Multi Time

fly1

fly1

New Member
Im just curious to hear how/if some of you got Multi Engine time through a university professional flight program, specifically Kent State but other perspectives will be appreciated. I know at Kent they get you through CFI status, single engine. Well....the majority of regional airlines require a minimum of 100 hours Multi time........and there is none of that in the curriculum ...

any thoughts will be appreciated
Thanks
 
Where I went for school, they gave us the option to do multi-engine commercial first instead of as an add-on. That alone was like 60 hours vs. 15 or so. Most schools that I have heard of as well require you to at least get a multi-engine rating as part of their curriculum.
 
I got about 20 hours through Western Michigan University, but I have been lucky enough to make a few connections while flight instructing to pick up an extra 20 or so hours. It has been tough for me, as I'm sure it is for a lot of others, to try to build multi time without spending a lot of money. Try and meet some people, make some friendships around the airport (or on here), and hopefully you can get some help building that time.
 
Just another perspective, and not intended as a "derail", but I've paid for 6 hours of multi-time in my life. CFI'd, went to work for FLX flying a 210, got the rating when it was time to "upgrade" to the Baron. There are ways, and not all of them involve shelling out jaw-dropping amounts of cash. Best of luck.
 
I was in a similar boat in that my school got people from 0-CFII, but it was all in single engine. I started to instruct after I got out of school at a somewhat small FBO, but they have two Cessna 421s. If your not familiar with the 421 basically its the most powerful piston driven plane - turbocharged/pressurized. Anything more powerful and you are looking at turboprops. My boss does mainly 135 charter with them, but once every 3 weeks we have a contract with NOAA to do air sampling. Since this is without passengers its under 91 ops so I sit left seat and fly it t/o thru landing while my boss sits right seat either reading a book or taking a nap :laff: We sample two different sites so its usually around 5 hours to do both targets.

It is a pretty cool gig. We go to 25,000 feet and spiral down and level off at various altitudes on the way down to collect air samples. We have boxes in the back that store the air and a probe attached to the right window up front that collects the air. I feel extremely lucky to have been able to do this.

There are a lot of outfits around the country that do NOAA air sampling. I have heard of it being done in a single Cessna 210, but a majority of people use twins. You never know. Ask around to whoever you can and see who does it. If its a FBO try to get a CFI job there and you might be able to tag along.

Multi time def sucks to get. I am glad I have gotten most of it how I have. I don't even want to think what I would do if I were at 15 hours right now. Ready for the airlines, but still stuck on almost 0.
 
Buy a cheap twin and fly it across the country a few times then sell it before the annual......check out controller.com, alot of the light twins can be had for a song these days.
 
zulu99 said:
Buy a cheap twin and fly it across the country a few times then sell it before the annual......check out controller.com, alot of the light twins can be had for a song these days.
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Did you ever owned a twin engine? I really doubt it's a good idea, you can find places that have cheap rates (170-180$ wet), at least when something breaks you will not have to pay $$$$$$ to fix it...In the last 4 months we spent over 3K on unexpected MX on our Seneca II (over 1000K on a cowl flap)
 
swisspilot said:
Did you ever owned a twin engine? I really doubt it's a good idea, you can find places that have cheap rates (170-180$ wet), at least when something breaks you will not have to pay $$$$$$ to fix it...In the last 4 months we spent over 3K on unexpected MX on our Seneca II (over 1000K on a cowl flap)
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Yea I bought a PA30C about 14 months ago, and the mandatory mx items and operating costs have been as expected. Nothing shocking. Did a really thorough pre-buy with a very knowledgeable and competent IA. I suppose what is expensive to one person may not be to the next guy, its all subjective. On the upside I did put over 325 very enjoyable hours on the plane in the last 12 months. :bandit:
 
zulu99 said:
Yea I bought a PA30C about 14 months ago, and the mandatory mx items and operating costs have been as expected. Nothing shocking. Did a really thorough pre-buy with a very knowledgeable and competent IA. I suppose what is expensive to one person may not be to the next guy, its all subjective. On the upside I did put over 325 very enjoyable hours on the plane in the last 12 months. :bandit:
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Beautiful airplanes those Twincos...did my Private Multi in a '66 B model a few years ago.

I did the Multi track at the school for Instrument then Commercial. Nabbed my MEI for 2k or so after my CFI/CFII. Didn't use it for 1 1/2 years then out of nowhere a Turbo Seminole was available for me to instruct in so I took advantage of that. Coming out of college I was up to about 80-85hrs ME.

I'd definitely recommend getting as much experience in different airplanes though. I've never done a certificate or rating in the same twin.

Private Multi: PA30 Twin Comanche
Instrument: PA44 Seminole
Commercial: DA42 Twin Star w/Thielerts (a BLAST to fly)
MEI: PA34 Seneca I
Instructed in: PA44-T Turbo Seminole
Flying now: Cessna 402C
 
Crism said:
Beautiful airplanes those Twincos...did my Private Multi in a '66 B model a few years ago.

I did the Multi track at the school for Instrument then Commercial. Nabbed my MEI for 2k or so after my CFI/CFII. Didn't use it for 1 1/2 years then out of nowhere a Turbo Seminole was available for me to instruct in so I took advantage of that. Coming out of college I was up to about 80-85hrs ME.

I'd definitely recommend getting as much experience in different airplanes though. I've never done a certificate or rating in the same twin.

Private Multi: PA30 Twin Comanche
Instrument: PA44 Seminole
Commercial: DA42 Twin Star w/Thielerts (a BLAST to fly)
MEI: PA34 Seneca I
Instructed in: PA44-T Turbo Seminole
Flying now: Cessna 402C
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Agreed! the more type experiences the better. I started my comm multi in a twin star, nice planes not enough levers for me with the fadec:D. I did my MEI in a PA44; not too impressive, though they are good, docile trainers. The twin comanches are nice little planes and real economical to boot. i regularly see 165+tas @ 16gph combined. Can't beat that.
 
Did Commercial multi and MEI as my commercial and CFI initials, and taught about 220 of my 800 ish dual given in the Death Star.
 
I go to kent state and I'm going through their aviation program. The multi engine rating is part of the program to graduate but you only get I think around 15 hours during that. It seems like most instructors build their multi time by either buying time($$$), geting your mei and waiting to become a senior instructor so you can get multi students, or some people also talked about some time of time builder program with an mei where they can log dual given and you log dual recieved to go on trips and stuff at a pretty cheap rental fee. If I get close to the 1500 mark and the reigonals are hiring im most likely gonna take out a loan and buy some multi time and split the cost by flying friends and family out west or something. Hopefully that helps you out! Are you going to kent right now? I might know you haha

FlyHigh
 
Roger said:
Did Commercial multi and MEI as my commercial and CFI initials, and taught about 220 of my 800 ish dual given in the Death Star.
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Death Star...nice, that made me lol. I did my MEI as soon as possible after completing my CFI. I too instructed a bunch in the Death Star (DA42) and the Piper Screaminole. 200ish of mulit dual given over 2 1/2 years.
 
Got lucky and worked for a guy at his repair station while going to college. He owned a 310 which I helped reassemble after a hefty 2 year overhaul/annual. He let me fly it pretty much for the cost of fuel and sometimes just a 12 pack.
 
FlyHigh423 said:
I go to kent state and I'm going through their aviation program. The multi engine rating is part of the program to graduate but you only get I think around 15 hours during that. It seems like most instructors build their multi time by either buying time($$$), geting your mei and waiting to become a senior instructor so you can get multi students, or some people also talked about some time of time builder program with an mei where they can log dual given and you log dual recieved to go on trips and stuff at a pretty cheap rental fee. If I get close to the 1500 mark and the reigonals are hiring im most likely gonna take out a loan and buy some multi time and split the cost by flying friends and family out west or something. Hopefully that helps you out! Are you going to kent right now? I might know you haha

FlyHigh
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Thanks for your response. I am currently attending Kent state but have taken most of my classes at a regional campus. That was exactly what I was looking for because I saw the ME requirement, but it didn't add up to any established mins
thanks again
 
Western Michigan University grad here. I only have about 80 right now, but anyways....

Initial commercial in a Pa44 through WMU. Then got my Com MES in a an Aircam on floats. Got my tailwheel in an Aircam on wheels. Luck got me in the Turbine Goose.
 
I'm brand new to the forum, but I like this string. I just spent a total of $6280 for 58 hours of twin time at Aviator College in Ft. Pierce, FL (that's $108 per hour). This price included the checkout with an instructor, and board! They sold me a package deal, not hidden or secret fees. Just great flight time with another pilot (they paired me with). We had one under the hood, and the other was the safety pilot. Because both pilots are required, both can log PIC time. Plus, I'm an MEI. We all won! I don't work there, but I would in a heartbeat. The staff is great, the planes are simple, and the financing is fair! You've got to check it out. I'm sure with an increase in fuel prices that they will be increasing the price, but for now, it's only $98 for 100 hours (the more you buy, the cheaper it is). http://www.aviator.edu/home/flight-training-programs/multi-engine-time-building-programs.aspx
 
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