Is MEI a must have for Regionals?

[sgwabd]

Having a MEI won't assure you of a job. Good personal, aviation, and instrument skills will get you the job. Obtaining the minimums for a job can come several differnet ways. One way is becoming a CFI/MEI. Another is flying checks. You have to do what works for you.

 

[Juan Trippe]

I never got my MEI or even a CFII, but was able to accumulate some multi time and some 135 time, and this has opened the doors to where I want to be.
Hope this helps a little - or as some said at Mesaba, "Food for thought".

 

[AutoBus]

I never got my MEI or even a CFII, but was able to accumulate some multi time and some 135 time, and this has opened the doors to where I want to be.
Hope this helps a little - or as some said at Mesaba, "Food for thought".

Another consideration, Real PIC time is worth more than dual given. Save the money from the MEI and maybe take a low paying mutliengine job and get some real multi PIC time.

 

[CRJDog]

You don't need a CFI/II or MEI to get hired at the regionals period. Flight instructors are equally clueless new hires when it comes to Part 121 operations.

 

[Skaz]

little confused

after reading this thread, I must admit that I am quite dumbstruck....I am planning to go do a MEII course with a school down in FL.

Now with almost 3000TT, 1200ME ,770Turbine, 590 night, 402IF I have applied at a LOT of regionals, but no luck. The reasoning behind doing the MEII (since I have ATP AMEL), is that having hte rating and experience of having done it, would make you more attractive to employers, be they airline or not.

You guys seem to think that doing the MEII under these conditions is a waste of time!

HELP

 

[CRJ puppy]

after reading this thread, I must admit that I am quite dumbstruck....


You guys seem to think that doing the MEII under these conditions is a waste of time!

HELP

YES!!

 

[Skaz]

thanks for not confusing me any further...not

 

[igneousy2]

You don't need your MEI to get to a regional. In fact, most regional pilots do not have an MEI. You do not even need an MEI if you want to instruct at a regional. It is an absolutely useless piece of paper at a regional.

Most flight schools will not even let you instruct in the multi you just got your rating in until you have enough time that you would get hired at a regional anyway. Unless you are going to one of the larger flight schools that allow low time instructors into the twin then I'd forget it.

If you have a way that you are building some multi time just stick to that. If you want to turbo-boost your career you'd be better off buying 100 hours in a seminole for $5000. That coupled with however you're building your time now should make you golden.

Good luck

 

[DX Rick]

If you want a 121 job, the short answer is yes.

Take a look at this guy and his back ground, he is a guy who paid for his job. He knows nothing. You do not even need a CFI ticket to get a 121 job.

 

[Skaz]

igneousy2 you obviously didnt read my post,I dont need any more time on a seminole, I need a job. Howd you get an ATP with 100 hours anyway?

any other constructive replies, please.

 

[XSWANN@240]

Do the regionals want to see MEI on your resume? I'm getting near the 100 hours of multi engine time but I never got my MEI because of financial issues making a living as a CFI. Spending the extra money to get my MEI before applying to the regionals, is it recommended? Or can I do without?

It doesn't hurt to have a MEI.

But, I think its better if you can find a job flying freight in the NorthEast such as an Airnet type of operator. I would think this type of experience is worth a lot more than any MEI job. That's what I did.

good luck...

 

[328dude]

I don't even have a CFI, so I wouldn't think so.

 

[Thurman Merman]

All I had was a commercial multi inst ratings but I did have a job flying BE200 so I guess that counts for a lot. And no I wasn't a radio jockey I was flying left seat. It boils down to quality of ME time

 

[dueguard1]

Wow all U guys with previous 135 jobs with just a Comm Multi-Instrument, and No CFII/MEI................Hmmmmmmm, sounds like some log Book Padding Going on to Me!!!.........How in the hell did You get enough time to even qualify for a 135 Job???

 

[Rottweiller]

Save your money and put it to better use. Never held an instructor rating and never had any problems when it came to getting a job. Comm+ME+Inst will be just fine. You may have to do some thankless flying (glider towing, para dropping, etc) which will give you far better experience than 1 hour round the pattern 1000 times.

And as dueguard1 suggested you don't have to pad your logbook to get 135 minimums - CFI etc isn't a basic requirement - hours are.

 

[dueguard1]

HEY Rottweiler......................I wasn't suggesteing it, I was just questioning where these folks were getting their hours.................C'mon be for real, a 22 year old kid walks into HR with 1200/200, with no CFI, No prior military, and just a Commercial Multi-, U page through his logbook to find out his first initial Solo was just 12-15 months ago......................Just a Scenario But these situations happen all the time, and regional HR's can smell that something phony is going on.......................Just a word of Advice

 

[Rottweiller]

HEY Rottweiler......................I wasn't suggesteing it, I was just questioning where these folks were getting their hours.................C'mon be for real, a 22 year old kid walks into HR with 1200/200, with no CFI, No prior military, and just a Commercial Multi-, U page through his logbook to find out his first initial Solo was just 12-15 months ago......................Just a Scenario But these situations happen all the time, and regional HR's can smell that something phony is going on.......................Just a word of Advice

Granted a early 20 something with acceptable time and real means of getting it should raise flags to say the least. Just reading your original post seemed to suggest that without a CFI etc you couldn't qualify for 135. No harm no foul right?

I have run across a couple of folks who have padded their logs and they will get caught out at some stage. As I said I have never needed a CFI rating and know of many people in the same boat it's all down to which avenue you choose to go, opportunities along the way etc.

BTW nice avitar my friend.

 

[328dude]

I was working Line Service while attending school and got to meet most of the tenent's on the field. One company in particular flew 30 MU-2's for the FRB, US Mail, ambulance service, ad hoc cargo as well as AOG parts for American, Delta, and Southwest. The airline contracts required 2 crew members when carrying their mechanics. Was offered a slot the day I finished my multi and sent to Reese Howell for ground school. However, could only log the 91 legs untill I recieved my 135 SIC checkout from the FAA in OKC. After the checkout flew the FRB runs which ran week long and the hours racked up quickly. Was hired with 600 hours and had 1200 after 1.5 years. Paid 40 bucks a trip, so I starved most of the time.

The owner preferred lower time guys, so that by the time they had the 135 mins, they would have about 600-700 hours in the MU-2 already and meet the strict insurance requirment's.

It was a unique experince and one I'm grateful for and lucky to find, but sadly the company dissolved after the owner passed away.

BTW Rott, good looking dog....

 

[I Hate Freight]

Now with almost 3000TT, 1200ME ,770Turbine, 590 night, 402IF I have applied at a LOT of regionals, but no luck. The reasoning behind doing the MEII (since I have ATP AMEL), is that having hte rating and experience of having done it, would make you more attractive to employers, be they airline or not.

Skaz, I have to completely disagree. The CFI ratings may help those with low time and no real time flying experience, but your flying time is far above what the average regional applicant brings to the table. Why do you think that most such low minumums, usually 1000tt and 100 multi.

I have no instructor ratings at all but my time was very similar to yours when I applied to five regionals in Jan-Feb of last year, 2004. 2800 of my 4000 hours was hard part 135 single-pilot flying in lousey airlanes (210'a, Barons's and Caravans) hauling checks and medical stuff but no intructing. I got calls from four, interviewed with two and was hired by Eagle last a year ago this month.

Are you applying and not getting interviews or interviewing and not getting hired? It could be a lot of factors but I totally agree that with your time and experience an MEI will be an absolute waste of time and money. They airlines just don't care.

IHF

 

[Thurman Merman]

Its possible to get multi time without padding, I have never padded a logbook. I was one of those right place/right time guys, they needed a right seater on a King Air due to insurance requirements. They liked me and started using me as there sole contract pilot. After awhile I was going to flight safety and they were moving me to the left seat. The thing with the corporate world is its very close knit. When I made a good impression with one of the operators he passed me along to his friends and thus came all the Turbine and eventually PIC turbine time. Moral of the story be an airport whore. Obviously this is a best case scenario because it familiarized me in a crew enviroment and gave me command experience in the left seat in a passenger operation flying turbine aircraft. But anyway you can get payed to fly a twin jump on it.