MEI checkride

[HMR]

He's a very high time airline pilot that does these checkrides on the side, and he's quite proud of his ability and experience.

Those are some of the worst guys I've ever flown with.

Am I the only CFI who dreaded trying to walk 30,000hr airline captains through a checkout in a light single or twin?

 

[nosehair]

The examiner caught me off guard during the stall when he kicked it over and put us into a spin followed by a quick recovery.

Therein, young people, is the crux of the problem: He caught you "off guard".

No CFI applicant should ever be caught "off guard" with a student.
Checkrides, especially CFI checkrides, and especially especially multi-engine checkrides should not be all planned and rehearsed like, "OK, now, I'm going to 'accidentally' put the airplane in a potentially unsafe condition, and you, Mr. Instructor should prepare to prevent this from occuring".

Do you really think that student training is always gonna be like that? Thank the man for waking you up! Maybe now you will be a little more prepared for that event when it occurs in real life. And it will.

...mmm, I don't mean that in a mean-spirited way, but I hope you can see the value in being exposed to real life situations in the training environment.

I'm not sticking up for the individual examiner who did it, because I cannot tell the real reason why. If he was really trying to help you by showing you something that most instructor trainees don't get in training, then he has made the flying community safer. If he is really just an old fart gettin' his jollies with a young inexperienced newbie, then he is an accident waiting to happen and his attitude will poison the flying community.

As to the safety of it: Can you say for sure that you went all the way around at least one turn, or was it something over 90 degrees before you recovered? I know, for me, 135 degrees in a light twin sure would seem like all the way over on my back. I don't spin twins, but I sure push the wrong rudder in stalls, and expect the CFI applicant to be right on top of it and catch it before it gets 90 degrees.

 

[User546]

Therein, young people, is the crux of the problem: He caught you "off guard".

...Thank the man for waking you up!

Your 100% right, and he sure did. It was a lesson that was not lost on this MEI-To-Be.

Whether it's a 2 hour student pilot, or 300 hour commercial pilot, I always mentally prepare for "what could" before every manuever or demonstration. I don't have a whole lot of instruction under my belt (probably under 100) but I've seen enough in those hours to know to always be mentally alert and never get laxed in the cockpit!

 

[HMR]

Therein, young people, is the crux of the problem: He caught you "off guard".

Puhleeez. If some examiner decided to throw us into a spin on a multi checkride it would catch me off guard too.

Thank the man for waking you up! Maybe now you will be a little more prepared for that event when it occurs in real life. And it will.

I only have 5-600hrs of dual given in twins so I'll admit my MEI experience is limited. However, in the few hundred stalls I've done in the Duchess, Seneca, Twin Cessna's and King Air's I've never come close to a fully developed spin.

How many students have you had kick the rudder to the floor and try to spin the plane while practicing stalls in a twin?

 

[JediNein]

My oral for the MEI consisted of one question, "Did your flight instructor cover the topics?"

Have a DPE like the above really cheats the studying that you did for the checkride.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[AAflyer]

I have had the occasional airline pilot scare the hell out me, however I have had more 300-500 hour know-it-alls scare me more.

AA

 

[HMR]

I have had the occasional airline pilot scare the hell out me, however I have had more 300-500 hour know-it-alls scare me more.

AA

Agreed, and my instructor (now a captain) could tell a few stories about my first hours.

 

[AAflyer]

HMR,

I went to another field to get checked out, and tried to leave what I do out of it until the local club and CFI checked my license. Then all I heard was oh no I will probably have to change my lesson plan, you will need more time yada yada. I smiled and got in.

After 10 minutes airborne he looked at me puzzled. He never really asked if I stayed current, nor did I mention I fly GA often now, as well as being an ASC and applying for the Sport Pilot DE position.

I think it is funny how some of us are looked at when we fly the airlines, you would think we couldn't tie our shoes. It is a little amusing, and a little annoying.

Fly Safe,

AA

 

[bobbysamd]

MEI practical

I'm going to be taking my MEI checkride pretty soon, and I was wondering what people have experienced on it. From what I've heard it isn't too hard, but I'm curious as to what people have been asked on the oral, and how hard the actual flight part was.

The MEI is not too bad. The flight is essentially a Commercial Multi ride out of the right seat. The oral will consist of Vmc in depth and aircraft systems. I would only warn you to review the FOI because some examiners ask questions about it, even though you've been tested on it at least once previously. Don't ask me why.

Good luck with your practical.

 

[pilotmyf]

Those are some of the worst guys I've ever flown with.

Am I the only CFI who dreaded trying to walk 30,000hr airline captains through a checkout in a light single or twin?

Amen,
"please don't flare 50 feet above the ground in this airplane"
"rotate at 55kts, you are now at 85kts"
"yes capt, you can actually let the stall break"
"capt, i understand that you took a pay cut, but do you know what us CFIs make?"
"an ils at Vne is really not recommended"
"it's been how long since you have done a NDB approach"
"How many wives have you had, **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**"

Some of the worst and best checkouts I've ever done, none of these capts were marginal. Terrible or great.