Buying Multi

[wolfie690]

I am currently a flight instructor at a well known flight school. I have a guaranteed interview with comair and a couple of other regional carriers once I reach 1000 total and 100 multi. I won't be able to get my multi time for probably about another 8 months. I was thinking of going out and buying 200 multi hours to try to head to the regionals early. I don't have my MEI and doing this could slow me down financially if I don't get out early. Any suggestions?

 

[boxjockey]

If you're at the school I think you're at, you should run for your life and head south to instruct.

box

 

[SpocksBeard]

this bugs the crap out of me - if you're going to spend money on multi time then get your freaking MEI and instruct like the rest of us. Either way you have to buy that multi time. You're a commercial pilot and should be paid to fly - not the other way around! there's nothing better to teach you how to fly a light twin than students trying to VMC roll your a$$ everytime you fly with them. That 200 hours you are thinking of buying would probably just be spent doing cross country flying which is easy aside from dealing with weather. You typically only have one chance to totally dedicate yourself to flight instructing so take advantage of it as much as you can now.

 

[Cosmo1999]

Get your MEI and then see what kind of students are out there for you.

 

[Lequip]

AMEN SpocksBeard!!

Just another aviation prostitute. Why don't you go pimp out your sister and girlfriend while your at it. I'm sure Mommy and Daddy will be paying the bills.

 

[utahpilot]

please

I went out and got my MEI only to find that students were few and far between, plus the school's twin was down twice as much as it was up. after months of flying very little with ME students, I ended up splitting time with another CFI. we had a blast flying all over the place, got into some good IMC, and got good experience with lots of unfamiliar airports. doing this led directly to my first 121 job. had I not done it, I probably would have wasted another 6 months to a year trying to get multi students.

for me, it was well worth it.

do what works for you

peace,

UP

 

[SpocksBeard]

it depends of course upon the flight school you work at, but AT LEAST get the MEI and see where it takes you.

 

[gnx99]

They're not lying with the whole MEI bit. I got my insurance checkout to instruct in my school's twin 45 days ago. Since then, I've flown it 45 hours. Students and flights just sort of appeared from no where.

 

[WWEfan]

Screw the MEI. It did nothing for me either. Spend the money on multi time and have fun. Find a buddy to split it with and have twice as much fun. At the very least buy a nice new pencil to doctor your logbook with and get to the regionals ASAP.

 

[SpocksBeard]

riiiight, i forgot this job is worth selling your soul for...

 

[Stifler's Mom]

If you are flying out of Sanford, the Multi students will be handed to you. For those that are not working at Part 141 places, finding multi time can be difficult.

If you do buy your multi time, I would recommend using the majority of that time failing engines left and right. Nothing worse than to get to an airline training and then step on your dik when it comes to a V1 cut.

The other problem for you will be that the school I think you are at controls when that "guarenteed" interview happens. So, getting your multi hours outside of instructing may do you no good if you are relying on them helping you get to the next step in your carrer path.

 

[utahpilot]

I should have said, I benefited from getting the MEI, and I got about 50 hours dual given before splitting time.

Like I said, had I not done that, I probably would have delayed my first 121 job by many months. Of course I'll never know.

Financially, I'd get the MEI and instruct if you can. I couldn't, so I ended up buying some hours at the end to meet mins.

g'luck

UP

 

[Cosmo1999]

I got my MEI and had some students however had to buy some multi time to get it up over 100. Having the MEI is good for being able to log the time as dual given/recieved. That way you can avoid the safety pilot crap all together

 

[Trash8Mofo]

Lets break it down:
The MEI is gonna cost you around 1.5k with the exam. you are gonna instruct for about 10 hrs/ mo if you are lucky. So you end up splitting time with you buddy, which cost you 60 an hr. You do that for 25 hrs, thats another 1.5k. So about a yr later, and 3Gs poorer, you would have your 150-200 multi.

Or, you can spend your 3Gs at an SIC program of the right seat of a 402 or chieftain, and get about 250 hrs in 6mos, and at least its FAR135 and multi-crew. You may even get a PIC slot if they like you.

 

[SpocksBeard]

Yeah but you'd be adding 250 hours to the "shady time" column of your logbook. It would be better to split the time and log it partly as safety pilot then do that crap. SIC in a C-402? Get f-ing real!

 

[cathal]

Get your MEI and buy the time to get to the regionals ASAP. The MEI will teach you a lot. Use the time you buy wisely. Share the cost, explore places and airspace you normally wouldn't, and play "airplane owner" for a few weeks. You may never get to again.
When I was instructing, I bought about 50hrs after I got my MEI because students are scarce. It got me to my job faster, which will get me to upgrade faster,... basically faster is better.
Don't confuse this with "pay for training." You're buying experience, not a job. Only you can get the job by interviewing well and having the skills you need. Cutting a company a check after they've hired is disgraceful, and thats what has some people here upset. Others might be simply jealous that you've the time/money to do it.

 

[T206driver]

Why buy SIC time? We are commercial Pilots and should be compensated as such. The frieght has allready paid for the airplane and pic, this is pure EXPLOTATION and we shuldn't put up with it. Rotten operators are no better than the oil companies and insurance companies that put the screws to your livelyhood and industry. I hope the point is well taken.

 

[Trash8Mofo]

I feel differently about buying time, respectfully. There are different boxes a pilot needs to check before one gets to the major. Its just an investment. You paid for you private pilot. You paid for all the other ratings and qualifications after that. Having multi-time is just another box; get them asap however which way you can get em. Later on, you may need to buy yourself a type rating (SWA). Its all an investment. There are always people tell you that they have started from the bottom as blah, blah, blah. You can do it that way, of course. Is it better? maybe. Or you can buy it. People do it all the time. Its your college degree, its your MBA, its that extra certificate that you needed for the promotion. Its call delay of gratification, an investment now for a reward later on. If you take the scenic route, you miss out on senority, or worse, a whole cycle of hiring. Its all an investment.

As far as being a FAR required flight crew member to operate an aircraft being shady.......or is it the other way around: the supposedly safety pilot in hard VFR condition?

 

[SpocksBeard]

At least with safety pilot time you're not paying some company to let you sit in the right seat of an aircraft that doesn't require an SIC at all. If the company wants the added safety of a second pilot they should have to pay for it or at the very least not require you to pay money for something that you really shouldn't log. If and when I am on a hiring board someday I will not look at this time as being very valid.

 

[Lequip]

Yeah....There is actually a guy paying to sit in the right seat of a C337 Skymaster to do VFR whale watching flights. Talk about a waste of a pilot seat. LMAO