spoolinup22
Well-Known Member
Anyone have any little tricks that helped them out with their MEI? I'm doing it in a 1979 Seminole hopefuly by the end of this week.
Tips for MEI?
- Thread starter spoolinup22
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spoolinup22
Well-Known Member
Wilco...too bad there isn't an "Easy Button"
Houston
Well-Known Member
There are some things that are pretty much bread and butter questions, so it's best to know them cold. For instance, what are the conditions that establish Vmc? Another one is what is a critical engine and why? I know you knew all that when you took your AMEL rating ride, but review it because we tend to forget over time. Also read FAR 23.149 very carefully.
Then there are a couple knowledge gaps for most AME pilots. They usually won't come up during an oral, but just in case, here they are:
Why does Vmc go down as weight goes up? It seems a little counterintuitive because if you lose and engine, you would rather be light than heavy. But the question isn't will it fly better that way. The answer is that the increased weight gives an equally increased lift vector, and since Vmc is measured with a bank, it also gives an increased horizontal component of lift. The other what is the difference between Vmca and Vmcg. For that, you want to read and think seriously about FAR 23.149(f)
If there is any "trick" I might suggest. That is to put a yaw string on the airplane at least once while you do single engine maneuvers. We all know that we should fly a little uncoordinated to get the best performance out of the airplane during single engine work, but how much is the right amount. A yaw string will tell you that.
The only other thing I can add is to cast my vote with the others for "study". I cannot remember an instance where anyone failed a check ride for being too well prepared.
Then there are a couple knowledge gaps for most AME pilots. They usually won't come up during an oral, but just in case, here they are:
Why does Vmc go down as weight goes up? It seems a little counterintuitive because if you lose and engine, you would rather be light than heavy. But the question isn't will it fly better that way. The answer is that the increased weight gives an equally increased lift vector, and since Vmc is measured with a bank, it also gives an increased horizontal component of lift. The other what is the difference between Vmca and Vmcg. For that, you want to read and think seriously about FAR 23.149(f)
If there is any "trick" I might suggest. That is to put a yaw string on the airplane at least once while you do single engine maneuvers. We all know that we should fly a little uncoordinated to get the best performance out of the airplane during single engine work, but how much is the right amount. A yaw string will tell you that.
The only other thing I can add is to cast my vote with the others for "study". I cannot remember an instance where anyone failed a check ride for being too well prepared.
Maurus
The Great Gazoo
The one everyone forgot. Don't kill yourself!
VMC incidents can easily be avoided. Watch your student like a hawk when doing single engine stuff. I would recommend looking up some NTSB reports in ME aircraft that involve training. Find some in the aircraft you will be instructing in if you can. Learning from another instructor's mistakes is a good thing.
Personally I ran with a rule that above 3000ft AGL I fail engines with the mixture, below 3000AGL with the throttle.
Engine failures on T/O are done well below VMC with the rudder.
I know technically the MEI is supposed to do the drag demo, however, I like to have the student do the demo so they can feel the airplane rather than just watch. It leaves a bigger impression as a result.
This is the most dangerous rating you will have, be careful and have fun.
VMC incidents can easily be avoided. Watch your student like a hawk when doing single engine stuff. I would recommend looking up some NTSB reports in ME aircraft that involve training. Find some in the aircraft you will be instructing in if you can. Learning from another instructor's mistakes is a good thing.
Personally I ran with a rule that above 3000ft AGL I fail engines with the mixture, below 3000AGL with the throttle.
Engine failures on T/O are done well below VMC with the rudder.
I know technically the MEI is supposed to do the drag demo, however, I like to have the student do the demo so they can feel the airplane rather than just watch. It leaves a bigger impression as a result.
This is the most dangerous rating you will have, be careful and have fun.
Maurus
The Great Gazoo
I have a had a couple checkrides where the oral was ended early because I was answering the questions too fast haha.
"Screw it, lets go fly" is a good thing the hear.
spoolinup22
Well-Known Member
Very good to know.
I am trying to look into the DPE right now, will I have to fail the engine and he has to recover? Or is it pretty much just me doing my CMEL checkride from the right seat but knowing everything in a whole greater detail?
BTW....when you cut an engine, throttle below 3k agl, mixture above 3k?
I am trying to look into the DPE right now, will I have to fail the engine and he has to recover? Or is it pretty much just me doing my CMEL checkride from the right seat but knowing everything in a whole greater detail?
BTW....when you cut an engine, throttle below 3k agl, mixture above 3k?
Maurus
The Great Gazoo
It really depends on the DPE. My MEI ride was essentially a Commercial ride from the right seat + a drag demo.
That would be what I said. Mixture failures work best as you don't have to knock the guys hand off the throttle to fail the engine. Engine failure flows get interesting when the student doesn't expect them (more realistic). Also you can hide the mixtures till the student properly identifies/verifies properly. I have seen students go to feather the wrong prop a few times as a result of not properly identifying and verifying the dead engine.Once the student has completed the flow make sure the throttle is idle on the "dead" engine and then introduce the mixture back in. After that you set up the "zero thrust" setting on the engine and roll with that.
It is interesting to see how surprisingly long you have to feather the engine before it gets to the 800-1000RPM mark where the engines anti-feather pin will lock into place.
The reason for the higher altitude is because of the greater risk of the engine not starting back up where the throttle just brings the engine to idle.
Houston
Well-Known Member
Here is a quote from the PTS under which you will be tested:
It wouldn't be a bad idea to have that committed to memory and at the appropriate time say something like "the PTS says" paraphrase the PTS "but I like to give it a little extra altitude just for safety sake".
TwoTwoLeft
o- - - - - - -l
spoolinup22
Some questions you should be prepared to answer...
Why did you start THAT engine first....?
Is it ever ok to take off below redline?
How does the HEATER work?
How do you handle a prop governor failure?
A trick I found to to get a realistic Vmc demo with an underpowered or or counter-roating twin is to just center the ball with the wings level during the exercise.
Oh, and "zero thrust" is only good for blue line. Any slower and you'll be getting thrust, any faster and it'll be more drag. So it's your job as the MEI to manage that during whatever single engine exercise you might be doing.
Some questions you should be prepared to answer...
Why did you start THAT engine first....?
Is it ever ok to take off below redline?
How does the HEATER work?
How do you handle a prop governor failure?
A trick I found to to get a realistic Vmc demo with an underpowered or or counter-roating twin is to just center the ball with the wings level during the exercise.
Oh, and "zero thrust" is only good for blue line. Any slower and you'll be getting thrust, any faster and it'll be more drag. So it's your job as the MEI to manage that during whatever single engine exercise you might be doing.
pa-44 POH gives zero-thrust settings for different airspeeds. and the best way to "realistically" fail an engine is to use the fuel selector and sneak it in when the student is climbing after some other maneuver. unless of course that airplane belongs to atp...
remember PTS says 3000 for Vmc demo but piper says 4000
is cyl head temp gage req'd? 91.205 does not mention but part 23 has a reg about needing it if you have cowl flaps
is MAP gage req'd?
which stall warning tab does what, and also know all the landing gear switches.
remember PTS says 3000 for Vmc demo but piper says 4000
is cyl head temp gage req'd? 91.205 does not mention but part 23 has a reg about needing it if you have cowl flaps
is MAP gage req'd?
which stall warning tab does what, and also know all the landing gear switches.
spoolinup22
Well-Known Member
1. I assume it says in the POH start the left first, something along the lines of its closer to the battery, (i'll look it up once i get the poh)
2. I wouldn't think so unless there is something on the runway and you have plenty of straight away past the runway so you could reduce the power, pitch down and accelerate?
adk
Steals Hotel Toilet Paper
When I did it, the DPE asked me to demonstrate an engine failure at 600 AGL, so I pulled my own throttle and then explained what I was doing with each lever and switch as I was moving it. It sounds simple, but it can be tough to slow down and clearly communicate what you're doing and why you're doing it all while flying a good traffic pattern. We also did one lap around the pattern where he flew and I acted as the instructor, failing his engine.
My Advice:
Systems, Systems, Systems. You'll be training students for their CMEL. The Seminole is the first plane where students are really drilled on things like electrical buses and how a constant speed prop really works.
As others have said, single engine aerodynamics is very important. Be able to teach why light twins should be flown in a zero side slip. Be able to teach why, when single engine, the plane stalls first at high altitude and loses directional control first at lower altitudes. Of course, this is all in addition to stuff like factors affecting Vmc.
Draft up some performance scenarios to practice ADM, such as taking off out of a hot/high field at max gross weight. Give them a scenario where they're flying IFR and their single-engine performance doesn't meet the ODP's climb gradient.
My only tip for flying is practice setting those zero-thrust RPM settings until it becomes second nature. That's the only thing you haven't done in the plane yet.
Houston
Well-Known Member
Excellent reminder. BE-76 Duchess is 5,000 AGL and a clear day.
TwoTwoLeft
o- - - - - - -l
When doing a full shut down & feather followed by a restart, if you don't have accumulators make sure you've got a Skytec starter. Unless you want to do a real single engine approach to landing... It can be a good time.
spoolinup22
Well-Known Member
The airplane is a 1979 Seminole, so it does not have the accumulators. I'm not too terribly sure if it has a skytec starter or not...if we can't get it re-started is that grounds for failure?
JustinS
Well-Known Member
No the PTS states, "If the event a propeller cannot be unfeathered during the practical test, it should be treated as an emergency."
You would get a letter of discontinuance. Just make sure you handle it appropriately though or I bet you could fail...
Good luck with your MEI, and like others said, STUDY, and make sure you know your ME aerodynamics and the regs for how they certify Vmc for a specific airplane.
