Multi-Rating while Working Commercial

[clint]

I am at a crossroads in my training. I found a school in the Dallas area that can get me my multi-engine rating for a flat fee, and it's guaranteed. I am half-way through my commercial and figure that this is probably a good idea for a few reasons:
1. The multi- time will add to my complex time needed for my commercial.
2. It will save time & money if I get it done while working on my comercial--all of my multi- time will add to the time needed for my comercial.
Will my commercial certificate carry over to my multi- rating?
Any feedback on the best way to get my multi- would be helpful.

[Glenn Calvin]

I believe (but I could be mistaken) that you need to take seperate checkrides for commercial single and commercial multi. This would mean a small extra amount to get the multi commercial checkride after you get your single finished. Near as I can remember, there isn't anything different about the commercial checkride in the twin versus the private, aside from the PTS.

For what it's worth, I did my private multi before I got my commercial single. I think that will save you money overall.

Oh yeah, and don't forget to factor in your multi-instrument!

Glenn

P.S.

I love Taco Bell Grilled Stufft Burritos.

[dashtrash400]

You can do your initial commercial in a multi or single, the next checkride will be for an add-on rating. The main difference is that for the initial issuance, you must meet the training requirements of 61.129 (I believe, too lazy to look it up) wheras for a add-on rating, you merely train to proficiency. I suspect that flat fee applies only to a rating added to a PPL or Comm, not an initial issuance of those certificates.

If you get your Multi rating on your private license, then take a Commercial ASEL checkride, your certificate will restrict you to PPL privledges only for ME until you do the commercial AMEL addon rating checkride. That checkride should be a breeze since you'd already have a PPL-ME, but you'd be paying yet another examiner's fee. With examiners fees running around $400 around these parts, I don't see how doing the PPL-ME first is really going to save you money.

On the other hand...many jobs require a minimum of 100 ME, and every extra hour you do gets you that much closer. For that reason, you could do the initial commercial in a multi, & then do the ASEL add-on rating. That keeps you at 2 examiners fees, and you come out with about 20 hrs ME.

--Sam

[clint]

Thanks...
I think I am going to go ahead and get my SEL commercial and then get my ME. The SEL commercial will also apply to my ME when I get that. Although, it would be good to get as many hours in the multi- as possible, i don't think the bank account will like that very much!! My plan for multi- time is to split time with some of the other instructors in the school's multi-. Also, for a small fee you can pay to do pipeline observation in a multi- in the gulf of mexico, which will something between 20 to 40 hours of time. I'm not sure about all the details, but I heard some of the instructors at my flight school talking about it one day. Anyway, I will concentrate on my commercial and then go for my ME at a place here in Dallas that can guarantee me my multi- in four days. Anyway, thanks for the posts.

[dashtrash400]

When you go to the place in Dallas, be careful that they don't try to push you through too soon. The sad truth is, when an engine quits in a ME, you're just as likely to die as in a single, & it's because many pilots never received good training...they only got themselves prepped for the checkride. I myself instructed in a "ratings mill" and one of the challenges was standing up to management and the students themselves in making sure I didn't send them out too early. Everything was on a tight schedule & the pressure was there.

I'm not gonna comment on the pay-to-work scheme because then this board will start sounding like that OTHER board it's an alternative to...but again, be careful. There was a thing like it in SoCal that was essentially a scam.

[Glenn Calvin]

Blue line = life!

Airspeed and altitude are your friends (and so is a slight bank into the good engine).

I also will second Sam's comment about the ticket-factory types of places. It is well worth the extra inital cash output to ensure that you get COMPLETE training. Remember that complete training is sometimes over-and-above what's called for by the syllabus, as well.

[flyingbeto]

If I recall...it's been several years now...I took the first part of my commercial in the single...I think a Piper 140...and then I did the complex maneuvers, etc. in the Seneca. I suppose I could go look in my logbook but that would require getting off the couch.

I would also recommend staying away from the cookie cutter schools...I was lucky to have a great CFI for most of my training. I then did my multi with a retired Air Force Colonel whose favorite method of teaching was to scream at me. At the end of the day I think I'm a better pilot for it...

bob

[jr]

Clint,

Check the current commercial PTS and you'll see a table that lists what areas of operation and tasks are required for an initial rating versus and add-on rating.

If you do the comm multi first, you can do the comm single add-on in a fixed-gear aircraft which might save you some dough.

Ditto the earlier comments about mult-engine proficiency. The mult can be done in a short, intensive program, but there's an old saying "Things quickly found are quickly lost."

John

[check6]

I want to confirm jr's comment. I have signed off a "single-engine" add-on to a commercial certificate in a C-172. The PTS states that only the initial ticket requires a complex airplane(I think).

Andy