MEI This Spring?

[thevideographer]

I'm hoping to get hired as CFI this spring, and i want to add MEI as soon as I can. Does anyone know the current cost of taking 416 at the instructor rate? I looked at ATP but it seems like a bit of a ripoff at $6500 (that's over $400 an hour for a Seminole) but I also heard that UND can still cost over $5000. If that's the case I plan to do it at Fargo Jet Center in their Seneca for ~$6000 since the aircraft is a lot more interesting and i could be done in a week or two.

Before anyone asks, I realize that I still have to take the 416 ground school at UND but that doesn't bother me as much as the thought of another flight course.

 

[pwttogfk]

Also consider that you'll more than likely end up with Dana for your checkride at UND...how he gets away with basically ignoring the PTS, I don't know...

 

[thevideographer]

Shouldn't the MEI stage check be: fly to a commercial standard, don't crash the plane?

 

[middies10]

Well there is the stage check, then the FAA checkride, and then the standardization ride IF you get assigned a multi student..

 

[DhruvK]

UND and ATP are pretty even in terms of cost unless you factor in the travel/lodging/etc. to go do it at ATP. The positive intangibles of doing it via staff rate at UND are that you'd be instantly prepared for your standardization ride if/when you finish as well as being familiar with some of our specific procedures in the Seminole. The downsides do include the dreaded "Dana ride" (which is by no means impossible), as well as finding time to fit MEI training into classes and students. I would say that if you specifically intend to instruct here for a while, it's probably worth doing your MEI through UND. You have to treat it like a commitment, though, and make sure you tackle it on a week by week basis. I made the mistake of going 2-3 weeks sometimes between lessons as I got towards the end, and ended up dragging the process out from August to May. My checkride wasn't a big deal (I didn't get Dana), but I definitely wasn't as sharp as I could have been through it. Bear down, grind it out, and enjoy the extra $3.00/hr pay raise and the heater .

 

[gotWXdagain]

I did MEI over the summer, my lead at the time gave me a schedule that allowed a gap every day to get things done. I put $5000 into my account at the beginning and just barely had enough at the end for the checkride, but that's because I hammered it out and didn't waste time. I've taught several MEI applicants, some hammer it out quick, some take so long that they just give up and move on. Contrary to popular belief, some pilots do make it through a Dana ride on one shot. See Below:

Also consider that you'll more than likely end up with Dana for your checkride at UND...how he gets away with basically ignoring the PTS, I don't know...

One of the more senior CFI's sent a carefully placed letter to OKC. The Dana PTS and the FAA PTS quickly realigned afterword.

 

[DhruvK]

I taught several MEI applicants, some hammer it out quick, some take so long that they just give up and move on.

My current MEI applicant being a wonderful example of the latter