MEI questions

[braidkid]

I plan to obtain my MEI sometime this summer...I have a couple questions...
1) Is it true that if you have an MEI you can log flight time in a twin as PIC whether sitting left or right seat? If this is true does it apply to turbine as well? Can you point to the FAR that explains this?
2) If I am to get my multi instrument/commercial/instructor ratings, how many checkrides does this ammount to? I'm guessing two checkrides....instrument/comm and then instructor.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!

[pilot602]

You can log PIC in either seat in any aircraft. The seat does not determine who the PIC is. The conditions/rules under which the flight is operated and who is actually flying the aircraft determines PIC.

As far as the checkrides go you're looking at one checkride for each. Combining checkrides can be done but you're still going to go over everything you would have in two seperate rides.

So you'd do one for IA, Comm. (single and multi), CFI. CFI-ME (MEI), and CFI-I for a total of six checkrides. If you combine IA/Comm that's bring it to four or five.

[braidkid]

Thanks for the reply...
I was assuming I already had my CFI/CFII in which case all I'd need would be multi comm, instrument and instructor for a total of 3 checkrides, or 2 if I combine the comm/instrument. From my understanding, the benifit of getting an MEI is that BOTH pilots can log PIC as long as the other pilot agrees to accept dual.

[pilot602]

[ QUOTE ]
the benifit of getting an MEI is that BOTH pilots can log PIC as long as the other pilot agrees to accept dual.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or you can fly as a safety pilot and log PIC/SIC depending on who's acting as the acting PIC. You don't need an MEI to log PIC in a twin or any instructor rating to log PIC in any aircraft (with two pilots). If I were an HR guy I'd be more leary of someone who has a ton of ME dual with one or two people than I would with someone who has flown as safety pilot. That's just me though.

If you already had your CFI/I you'd already have commercial - you'd need to do a multi IA privledge ride, and a multi-comm add on but those aren't really full blown checkrides. CFII can be used in a multi if you already have ME privleges - there isn't a seperate ME-CFII.

In other words say you have a private multi add on, and you do your commercial in a multi you then get a CFII rating you could give instruction in a ME but not a SE because you don't hold a single engine commercial. Confooosing aint it?

[braidkid]

I just talked to a guy who said he didnt think there was such thing as a multi-engine commercial rating without instrument privileges so it sounds like the instrument is covered in the multi commercial check ride. Therefore, once I had my CFI/CFII all I would need would be 2 multi-engine checkrides to get my multi comm/instrument/instructor ratings. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong. I need to check in the PTS for specifics but thought I'd see what you all thought first...

[Doug Taylor]

I really don't see why you couldn't have commercial license with a multi-engine rating without instrument priviledges.

Perhaps I'm wrong though.

[pilot602]

[ QUOTE ]
... instrument is covered in the multi commercial check ride.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, it's two seperate items. And, you absoloutely can have a multi comm w/o instrument privi's.

For example, I have VFR SE and ME privileges.

I could, technically, go and get my commercial in the multi before getting the IA. I'd have "no greater than 50nm-day" and "no night" for hire restrictions but it could/can be done.

To get that restriction removed I'd need to get the IA.

[braidkid]

I'm having a hard time finding the multi instrument requirements in the FAR. I looked under FAR 61.65 but can't find any mention of multi engine requirements for instrument rating.
I know that during the multi comm checkride you must perform a single engine instrument approach. Maybe this satisfies the multi instrument as well as commercial??? The single engine stuff is all pretty simple and laid out in the FARs but the multi requirements seem a little more buried.

[pilot602]

That's because there aren't any specifically laid out.

But first look at:

[ QUOTE ]
Sec. 61.3 - Requirement for certificates, ratings, and authorizations.

(e) Instrument rating. No person may act as pilot in command of a civil aircraft under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR flight unless that person holds:

(1) The appropriate aircraft category, class, type (if required), and instrument rating on that person's pilot certificate for any airplane, helicopter, or powered-lift being flown;

[/ QUOTE ]

then you have to look at the PTS:

[ QUOTE ]
FAA-S-8081-4C (Instrument PTS):

To obtain an instrument rating with multiengine privileges, an
applicant must demonstrate competency in a multiengine airplane not
limited to center thrust. The multiengine airplane that is used to obtain
unlimited multiengine privileges must have a V MC speed established by
the manufacturer, and produce an asymmetrical thrust configuration
with the loss of one or more engines. If an instrument flight test is
conducted in a multiengine airplane limited to center thrust, a limitation
shall be placed on the applicant’s certificate: (INSTRUMENT RATING,
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE, LIMITED TO CENTER THRUST).
...
VII. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS ............................................... 1-17
A. LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS.................................... ... 1-17
B. ONE ENGINE INOPERATIVE DURING
STRAIGHT-AND-LEVEL FLIGHT AND TURNS
(MULTIENGINE)..................................... ........................ 1-17
C. ONE ENGINE INOPERATIVE—INSTRUMENT
APPROACH (MULTIENGINE)..................................... .. 1-18
D. LOSS OF GYRO ATTITUDE AND/OR HEADING
INDICATORS........................................ ......................... 1-19

[/ QUOTE ]

The PTS outlines the items to be demonstrated for multi-engine instrument privileges. These are in addition to the single engine requirements and because the multi-engine pilot will have demonstrated everything required for single-engine instrument privileges he or she will also be given SE IA priviliges upon completion ofthe test. If the test had been completed in a SE the rating would have a limitation to SE only similar to the center-line thrust limitation.