Multi time or total time?

jtrain609

jtrain609

Antisocial Monster
Heya everyone,


So I'm eyeing and pricing out options for finishing up my training through my MEI. Right now I'm sitting around with a private/instrument rating and about 200 hours of flight time. Ari, ATP and Skymates have now ascended to the top of my list of flight schools to check out. After recieving a quote from Skymates, I'm super impressed with how cheap they can make this flight training thing.

So now I'm sitting here weighing my options, and the way I'm looking at things I can either go to Ari and pay about $2,500 more than Skymates and get about 100 hours of multi time (though I'm kind of skeptical about their quote so far because I can't find prices on their web page and I didn't get an itemized quote from them). I can head over to Skymates and get around 21 hours of multi time. I get the same ratings finished either way.

I'm all about cheap, and the smaller the loan I take out the better. But would the extra multi time be worth the cost at this stage in the game? I'm looking towards not making a ton of cash in the coming years, and the smaller the loan payment the better I figure.

So what's everything think? Extra cash and more multi time, or save my money and do what I need to get the ratings done?

Cheers


John Herreshoff
 
As an 800 TT 23 ME pilot, I say get the multi time...it's nearly impossible to get it unless you get lucky and find a big school, either ATP or that type of place that will hire you.

Or you can be like me, doomed to the singles until you get hired on to cargo ops, or whatever is next for me.

Just my opinion, but I'm living the low multi nightmare right now. Glad to hear you're progressing toward the goal!!
 
What was the total you were quoted for Skymates?

I would really suggest ATP, but they aren't in the time building business unless you through their career program.

Looks like you need 40 more hours before you can take your Single and ME commercial checkrides. After that, do ATP's Total CFI program. I am willing to bet you could do all that for under 10 grand, not including the 40 additional hours.
 
Skymates can get me done for a little over 11.5K (just modified that, forgot about practical exams), but that's with some tweaking of my own and not their original estimate. I am planning on coming in with my written's done so I took it off their estimate, and they had 40 hours of time building in a 172 in there but I took that down to 25. I figure there's no reason to not be doing the commercial/CFI stuff while under 250 hours. It'll be a lot of dual time, but it'll save me time/money.
 
[ QUOTE ]
So I'm eyeing and pricing out options for finishing up my training through my MEI.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're going for your MEI I'd say go with the cheapest & lowest time due to the fact as an MEI you can teach and log multi time for timebuilding. Why pay for it when some student is going to pay you?

-mox
 
For an extra $32 an hour, the extra multi time at ARI is a really good deal in my opinion.

$2500/(100-21)=$31.65 per hour upcharge.

I don't know of anywhere you can get twin time at only $32 an hour more than single engine time.
 
I'm with Steve, John. I've been sitting at about 55 multi for a while. If I had 100, I'd be just about ready for a couple of regional applications. Instead, I'm applying for multi-instructor positions so I can get the extra 45 hours. Even if you're not sure what you want to do long term, that 100 hour mark is a pretty solid goal.
Smilecrunch.gif
 
I don't know if this makes sense, but if you'd really want to make it even cheaper do you know any MEI's or another Multi rated student? There is a kid here in Bowling Green at the University who has his Comm. Multi and went into a deal with someone else, they each paid half and spent one month this summer traveling all over the country shooting approaches, "saftey pilot work" all that good stuff. Granted each one has about 50 hrs in their logbook acting as a "safety pilot" they both made out alright. In fact, one of them just got hired with AirNet!

Oh well, just a thought! As for me, I just signed up for ATP's Commercial Multi course Dec. 27th in Fort Lauderdale. They said I'll leave with 10 hrs. How I'll make it from 10hrs to 200 hours I still don't know. Maybe I'll luck out and get an offer from one of our tenants at my local FBO to fly their twin around or something? Who knows.... good luck with your decision.
 
go for the multi time at Ari..... I know a lot of instructors that are kicking themselves now for not doing it because they can't get ANY multi time instructing ....and now they can't apply anywhere because they don't even come close to meeting the 100hr mins at most places.

I think the multi time will pay for itself by getting you a better paying job a lot quicker.
 
Thanks for the input everyone. I just e-mailed Ari to get an itemized quote for doing the same thing with them, and we'll see what I can do here.

Loved the message, Photopilot
smile.gif
 
Skymates & ATP are both located at GKY, Arlington Tx. I would go visit if you can. I went through the ATP 90 day deal and it was awesome. The nice thing about ATP is the fixed price, i didnt spend a dime more than what they quoted. The instructors at ATP Dallas & Skymates are awesome. I got toknow the Skymates pretty well cause we bought all our supplies from them. go for the multi-time it is going to save you money in the long run.
 
[ QUOTE ]
go for the multi-time it is going to save you money in the long run.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, I'll bite. How do you figure?
confused.gif
 
JH, I would be mimick txpilot's remarks by lamenting the fact that I am a low ME time 800TT CFI. As a CFI, unless you get hired on with a company that has mostly multis, you will be flying in a single most of the time. Additionally, when you get your MEI, that does not guarantee that you will get a job with the ability to teach multi. Get as much as you can now! -C
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
go for the multi-time it is going to save you money in the long run.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, I'll bite. How do you figure?
confused.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

quicker advancement to a better paying job.....less time instructing for peanuts
 
But more debt to pay off on that measly salary.

You say you earn peanuts instructing...Guess what? You earn walnuts flying for a regional. The pay still sucks, just not as bad. My advice would be to accumulate as little debt as possible. If you get your MEI and play your cards right, there is no reason you should have to buy multi time beyond what is required for MEL and MEI ratings. In my opinion, of course.
 
But an extra $3000 for an additional LOAD of multi is worth it in my opinion. If he was looking at another $10 grand, that would be another story, but what John is talking about sounds like a pretty good deal to me. And I'm an expert!
Smilecrunch.gif
 
Yeah, yeah, I work for Skymates- so I won't give any advice on what school to go to 'cause my motives are immediately suspect.

I recommend you take the cheapest, fastest route to change from paying for your flight time to getting paid for your flight time. This means an MEI. Instructing Multis will build time faster than anything else, so I'm afraid I have to disagree with paying for a load of it.

Moreover, there's only three amounts of multi time: 100, 200 and 500. If you have 499, you have 200. If you have 75, you have zero. If you have 1000, you have 500. Get it? So, figure out how much time you want to get, and figure out the cheapest way to get there.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I recommend you take the cheapest, fastest route to change from paying for you flight time to getting paid for your flight time. This means an MEI. Instructing Multis will build time faster than anything else, so I'm afraid I have to disagree with paying for a load of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Amen! My thoughts exactly!
bandit.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top