How much multi time do you recommend for private-mei?

[Customx]

After looking at various career pilot courses, I'm wondering how much multi time is really necessary, especially if I were to get my MEI. Would I be just as well off with 30-40 hours of multi time and instructing to increase the hours, or is there any key advantage to spending more money on the course and getting 100+ multi hours? Besides the obvious difference in price, what benefits will I have with paying for more hours?

 

[v1valarob]

After looking at various career pilot courses, I'm wondering how much multi time is really necessary, especially if I were to get my MEI. Would I be just as well off with 30-40 hours of multi time and instructing to increase the hours, or is there any key advantage to spending more money on the course and getting 100+ multi hours? Besides the obvious difference in price, what benefits will I have with paying for more hours?

If you spend more money and get 100 more hours of ME, its all legal PIC, but 50% your not even on the controls. In my Eagle interview the guy actually asked how many of the hours where only safety pilot PIC.

With ATP we only got 8 hours of training before we took our PPL/ME checkride. I would say by 5 or 6 hours I was fairly comfortable in the plane. However we did get to use the Frasca Seminole Sim a ton before we even hopped into the plane.

-Rob

 

[Customx]

Well I was looking at a program like White Air or even Star Bright where all the multi time is PIC, not safety pilot time

 

[Patrick]

The advantage of multi time from flying vs instructing is that YOU are flying the plane. This also assumes, to a certain degree, that you FLY the plane and make the best use of your time up there. Don't use the autopilot. Try to fly in some challenging weather (safety first, of course). Go into busy airspace, fly departure procedures, fly arrival procedures, shoot approaches. This will benefit you as a pilot.

Avoid safety pilot time if at all possible. Given the fact that plenty of airlines months ago were discounting guy's total multi time if they had safety pilot, in the current state of affairs, I certainly would not want to be applying with loads of safety pilot time on my resume to meet multi mins.

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

I would recommend getting the bare minimum to get the CMEL and MEI (Around 15-20 hours) and build the rest instructing. There is no reason to spend the money on it now, as the hiring has gone down the toilet. I felt more proficient after giving 5 hours of multi dual then I did when I got CMEL and 15 hours required to take the MEI ride. You get better control of the airplane, since you are demonstrating the maneuvers quite a bit.