Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

MEI Add-on

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

minitour

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2004
Posts
3,249
Well, I've already got my CFI and CFII, so it would be a category add-on. I know what tasks are required, but I was wondering if there's any study information you guys can let me know about that would help with the oral/flight test from a knowledge standpoint.

The flying should be straight forward. I've only got 1 ME PIC, so the next 14 are probably going to be prepping for the MEI ride, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Any tips would be great.

Oh...also, I heard from many this is an (relatively) easy checkride if it's the add-on...yes? no? thoughts?

How many hours of killing an engine on students until I'm comfortable enough to get killed? In other words, how many hours of MEI stuff is typical until people start to get complacent?

Biggest killer in being an MEI? Is it the Vmc roll? Student feathering the wrong engine?

Thanks for the help!

-mini
 
I know a guy who sent a kid on a commercial checkride without ever teaching him chandels and lazy eights.........needless to say he passed his MEI.
 
Mini, I did my MEI same as you, used the 15hrs PIC for the MEI training.
Don't go with the "nice" instructor, find the meanest one around.
Mine had 600hrs on type so he could teach me a couple of things and he did.
After about 300hrs of multi instruction I still think of him every time I start with a new student.
This is what I had happen so far;
- fuel cap not secured and trailing vapour in the pattern
- oil hatch open after lift off ( will interfere with engine cooling)
- crosswind landings gone haywire
- simulated single engine landings gone wrong
- feathering the engine while you agreed on "simulated" feather.
- shutting fuel off on the wrong engine, now 2 engines out.
- crossfeeding with the crossfeed off, now 2 engines out
- full power in stall recovery below Vmc
- almost stall in SE scenario while cross controlled, that one scared the living daylights out of me, was a little too late in interfering.
- circle to land from an approach single engine guys goes full flap in a turn, nose came up and it started rolling upright and towards dead engine, that one scared me too. As a result of that one I do circling approaches single engine at double the MDA.

Be aware and never take things for granted. people can still know how to fly and still make mistakes, that's why they are learning.
On the other hand just because they have a license does not garantee they can fly straight.
You'll come across all the problem areas from the SE world;
can't do a crosswind landing, don't use rudder,can't flare , don't know class Charlie from a hole in the ground etc etc etc etc.

Oh and serious, not to be nasty, get at least 500hrs dual given before you instruct on the Multi. It really helps a great deal if you can already spot the common errors from a mile away.
In my opinion a multi is not the place to learn how to instruct.
 
Last edited:
CDVdriver said:
In my opinion a multi is not the place to learn how to instruct.

Thanks for the advice and I could not agree more with this statement.

I'm glad I decided not to get the MEI while I was training. It would have been too tempting. This way I can go a little slower, still teach SE stuff, and be really good at it when I do get it.

Thanks again!

-mini
 
I heard that if you shot an instrument approach on your commercial multi add on, that you were not required to shoot one for your MEI. Is this true? I'm finishing up my MEI training and my instructor says we do not need to shoot instrument approaches. I just want to be on the safe side or at least find out the actual answer.
thanks in advance
 
Students can get behind a fast twin so much quicker, especially on one engine.

You have to be prepared to take the airplane away sooner than you might in a 172. Not a lot of margin for error.
 
Before you simulate or actually fail an engine, think through what should happen before you do it. That way, when a nervous student goes crazy on you, you will catch it before you get into a tight spot. A good preflight briefing/lesson, including sitting in the airplane and going through procedures before you ever go fly, will go a long way also. In my opinion, there are few things that require immediate action (such as feathering the prop). Stress to your students that everything else (such as securing an engine) you can take your time doing. That will avoid shutting off the wrong fuel selector and similar problems. Have a plan, and don't let things get beyond your comfort level.

And I wanted to add one more thing. Stress the difference between memory items and checklist items. If it isn't listed as a memory item (the bold items on the checklist in many trainers) don't let them do it by memory or flow even if it is intuitive. In a real situation, 'intuitive' actions are frequently missed or incorrectly executed.
 
Last edited:
After instructing for the past couple hundred hours in the multi here are my notes and advice to you:

1) I can't stress enough the importance of protecting the power quadrant and guarding the rudder when giving engine failures to students. There's nothing more exciting (sarcasm) than your student stomping on the wrong rudder or feathering the incorrect prop. To prevent this, place your foot over the rudder you want your student to step on and either use your hand to guard the prop levers or keep your hand near the power quadrant to quickly correct a blood-pressure inducing mistake.

2) One of the best ways to keep from being surprised is to decide on how you will fail an engine and stick to it. For example, I always fail the left engine with the mixture and the right engine with the throttle. The student is so overwhelmed with dealing with the engine failure that they never pick up on my pattern. It ensures that I always guard the correct rudder.

3) If I was going to pick a couple of the more dangerous training exercises I'd have to say it would be the Vmc demo and the After Takeoff engine failure. Please make sure to not only fully brief the student on the what/why of the Vmc demo but DEMONSTRATE it in flight. Be alert and make sure they don't take it too far. Either simulate the A/T engine failure up at a safe altitude or, if you pull the throttle on your student >500' AGL, have your hand up on the power quadrant to prevent the student from actually feathering the prop. Believe me, they will try. If you let them, you'll have enough excitement to fill the next year.

4) Use a runway that's at least 4000' long for simulated single-engine landings. I used to think that 3000' was plenty of runway. Experience has a funny way of changing your views.

5) If you're alert and prepared you'll be fine. Multi instruction is fun and rewarding.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top