Best Way to Get Multi-time

[RIOtoPilot]

A friend and I went from low time SEL pilots to CMEL (Inst) with 1200 hours in less that a year and a half. We received interviews and got hired with many regionals and cargo companies including XJET, ASA, Eagle, Airnet, etc. We did this by forming a partnership and buying a 1965 PA-30 Twin Comanche - the cheapest multi time out there. We love our plane, but we are selling it now because we got hired flying Lear 35s and are now building jet time. (For us, it was better situation that the regionals at the time.) We'd like to pass the same opportunity onto some future airline pilots. The plane is featured in Aerotrader under:

http://adcache.aerotraderonline.com/2/3/4/65387834.htm

It's definitely worth a look and we are seriously only asking what's owed on the bank note - $75,000. Good luck.

 

[Vote4Pedro]

I have my single eng and instrument ratings, was wondering a good way to get multi time, and eventually commercial multi-eng ratings. I was hoping not to settle for the "mins" -- I want to get competent at multi flying, not just put some time in my logbook.

Is buying a good route versus renting or going to one of the academys? I have found that it is tough to find a multi-eng to rent.

-V4P

 

[DashCojones]

Yo RIO, where are you flying Lears out of?

 

[RIOtoPilot]

Worked for us

V4P (great name by the way),
We found that it was cheaper and quicker to buy this twin than any other route. I ended up with all my ratings and about 1000 hours of multi time in about a year and a half (we flew every chance we could). I looked at ATPs and some other schools and saw that for the same money I would graduate with only 250 hours. The math was easy for me.
We were able to fly our plane coast to coast a number of times and take it on trips. The flexibilty was awesome and the experience built up. You definitely learn alot flying different places and through changing weather.
Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[kngarthur]

Go fly Part 135 cargo. It's the best possible experience you can get. Anybody can buy their time. I think it makes you look bad if you do.

 

[Bluto]

Everybody buys some of their time. I know of a guy who bought a C-152 and flew it a couple hundred hours to meet the mins at a large regional. He got hired. There are countless stories like this. If you want to be passive about your career, like the vast majority of people do, follow kngarthur's advice and be comfortable that you took the moral high-road. If you want a job, and all your short of is some multi-time, it can be highly beneficial to your career to be proactive about it.

Now, as a disclaimer, I would highly advise against PFT. Additionally, I highly recommend spending some time as a CFI for the invaluable experience. V4P, buying your own airplane to train in and build multi-experience (tough to do as a CFI) can be a wise, cost-effective decision.

 

[Chosen One]

I looked at ATPs and some other schools and saw that for the same money I would graduate with only 250 hours. The math was easy for me.

When I went to ATP, it was with the intention that I would be hired to instruct (which I was). So I was building 90hrs/mo of multi once I had my ratings. $30K for the program. 90% of the time was long XC flights (HEF to CRG for instance) so the conditions were random. This would probably be the better route (adding dual given to that PIC time) unless ofcourse you didn't get hired to instruct there. Not a bad deal for a close second buying your plane.

 

[Vote4Pedro]

Now, as a disclaimer, I would highly advise against PFT.

I am new to this and am not familiar with "PFT"

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like to buy would be a more cost effective way to get a lot of multi- experience. I looked into the CFI route as well, but was told that I would do almost exclusively single-eng instruction (not knocking it, but again the purpose of this discussion is multi-time)

Any comments out there?

 

[Bluto]

PFT= Pay for training, paying for initial training with a company. Multi-time is great, and important. Flight instructing (in Single engine, or whatever) can be great experience if you do it properly. I would advise against building all your time in your plane since it will teach you little about dealing with people, real-world scenarios, etc. Good luck.

 

[Vote4Pedro]

We were able to fly our plane coast to coast a number of times and take it on trips. The flexibilty was awesome and the experience built up. You definitely learn alot flying different places and through changing weather.

Flying to different and new places sounds cool. A friend of mine went to Sedona, AZ and said it was phenomenal, I'd love to experience different places like that. If I was interested, is there someone around there that can get me some dual in your Twin?