MEI first?

[mocaman]

What are the advantages of doing an MEI first? I know alot of the flight schools do this. Does it have something to do with how much the FAA can test you on? Thanks!

 

[paulsalem]

You are required to demonstrate proficiency in a complex aircraft on your initial CFI checkride. So if a school doesn't have a complex single engine aircraft (but has a complex twin), you have no choice but to do it in the twin.

Could this be case at the flight schools you know of?

 

[landlover]

i did my mei first, that was the way the program was set up. it made the most sense because at the time of my mei i had 220 multi and 65 single. i feel the mei manuvers are easier than the se cfi manuvers, just my opinion.

 

[mocaman]

Well the schools I am talking about, purposely do it this way. Mei, Cfii, Cfi, in that order.

 

[SPilot]

I also did it this way. Just felt natural to do it after I finished multi commercial. I was allready proficient at multi flying, and fluent in multi aerodynamics, so the emphasiz aereas of the MEI were fresh in memory. Just read up on FOIs, endorsements and hour requirements, and the MEI aint that hard as initial. The way I see it doing MEI first gives a soft start at the concept of teaching, because right after commercial one is more used to explaining things the complex way (the MEI way), rather than the over-simplified explanations of manouvers and student pilot material (the CFI way). You've gotta learn it all anyway, so all-in-all I dont think it matters much what order they are taken.

 

[minitour]

You are required to demonstrate proficiency in a complex aircraft on your initial CFI checkride.

You're only required to demonstrate complex proficiency on your initial "airplane" CFI ride.

If you do the CFII first "Flight Instructor - Instrument", there's no complex requirement in the PTS.

Not sure if there's an advantage or disadvantage to doing the CFI ratings in a particular order. Either way, you either have the knowledge and skills and can teach it, or you don't.

Some people seem to think doing the MEI, CFII, CFI is "easier"...or doing it CFII, MEI, CFI is "easier" or whatever...it's not. They're all instructor checkrides. I just added my MEI not far back and even though I had the CFI/CFII, it was no joke. There were fewer tasks and areas of operation required to be on the test, but I had demonstrated them at least once anyway...same thing applies whether you do the MEI first or the CFI, CFII, etc.

For what it's worth, we do the CFII, then MEI then CFI...if a student doesn't want the MEI, they can demonstrate complex proficiency in the duchess and do the maneuvers in the 172...check the PTS, the complex requirement isn't category and class...it's just category. If you're Commercial with SEL and MEL ratings, you can do the "complex" portion of the checkride (takeoff and landings - can you remember to toss the gear?) in either/or.

-mini

 

[crazyaviatrix]

The advantage to doing MEI 1st is getting the multi- time. You need you 15 PIC for MEI anyway so might as well do the training for the inital certificate in the twin instead of paying for more flight time in the multi afterwards. Besides that it is easer to not to do the CFI -single add on in a complex. It makes the power -off 180 easier, my experience is that Arrows and RG's sink like rocks compared to ther singles. I did my single 1st, MEI, the the II in the twin. But to be honest I'd take the twin anyday. I mean without multi time your not gonna get anywhere.