Best Way to get Multi Time if going FBO

[PatrickCPS]

Originally Posted by sharkey

Load up the plane with 5 friends and make up some kind of scenic tour with a lunch destination or something and have them each pay 1/6th of the cost. Talk it up with all your friends and family, this is a pretty good scam to build some cheap multi time but may not be a possability if you're someplace like North Dakota.

This kind of thinking is bordering on violation of the "paying less than the pro rata share of the expenses for the flight" FAR, as well as beginning to look like a "commercial operator."

Not to mention that fact that very few flight schools, FBOs, or flying clubs will let you take a twin out by yourself with his kind of low time.

Its a great idea to get the rating, get the MEI, and then instruct wherever to get your multi hours, except for the fact that most flight schools reserve the "privilege" of instructing in the twins for the more senior, more experienced instructors (who all have decent multi time, and are thus "trustable" by the institution), unless you're talking about a place like ATP (which defeats the entire purpose of this argument with regard to cost savings). A second problem with that, is that while you obviously log the hours as an MEI, its not making you a better pilot from the standpoint of actually flying the plane. When you interview at an airline, cargo, or wherever you go, they want pilots who can fly and be trained to fly their equipment (as well as obviously having knowledge of FARs, etc).

That being said, I don't think you're going to find a way to pay for any less than 25 hours of Multi time, and yes, 50 is about the minimum where you're hire able these days (again, right or wrong).

Plenty of flight schools will let you pay for the rating, and then buy block time in the plane, for as many hours as you want.

With regard to the original question, as far as doing this for the lowest cost possible, I am not sure you really save money going the FBO route. Once you add up every flight hour and every hour of instruction you paid for, to come out equal to a program like ours (340 hours total, 150 multi (of which 50 are AATD), zero safety pilot time, unlimited instruction) I think you'd be hard pressed to get that kind of training out of an FBO for the same or less money.

Just my $.02

[sharkey]

Originally Posted by PatrickCPS

This kind of thinking is bordering on violation of the "paying less than the pro rata share of the expenses for the flight" FAR, as well as beginning to look like a "commercial operator."

I disagree. Maybe the words "scam" and "tour" are a little misleading. Howabout if I say: take 5 close friends sight seeing and then share a picnic.

Everything else, though, is true.

[PatrickCPS]

I knew where you were going with that.

Now, depending upon one's tax bracket, the angel flight donation could certainly save you a decent chunk of change.

[DE727UPS]

"That is one idea, but I am sure DE727ups has the best answer."

I hardly even post at this site anymore. Why are you asking me?

Since you asked, though, I'd say anything more than 25 hours of "timebuilding" is a waste of brain cells and nothing more than padding your logbook.

There ya go.

That's my once a week JC post. Enjoy.....

[Scuba]

Now that Don has spoken perhaps we should lock the thread now? All other answers will obviously be the wrong one

Thanks for all of your input!

[DE727UPS]

"Thanks for all of your input!"

Your welcome.....I think.....

[fletchersteel]

I feel that I am in the same boat with you. I would like to continue my training at my local FBO, but it is costing me an enormous amount of fuel to get there. Approx $30 each day I go. I cannot get the "educational loans" to help pay the expense. There really is no other FBO that compares here locally, so I make the hour and half drive almost daily. I am about at the point of going to a "big" school, but not sure if it will be worth it, cost wise. It seems that I truely don't need "190 hours of ME"; just to fly right seat at a regional. Do you guys honestly feel that it is that much less expensive at an FBO. I think that the quality of instruction from my FBO is second to none and their track record for employment to regionals seems great for a FBO. The angle flight idea, I thought was a great idea. But, I have to agree, who is willing to let a low time pilot rent a twin?

[mtsu_av8er]

Originally Posted by PatrickCPS

A second problem with that, is that while you obviously log the hours as an MEI, its not making you a better pilot from the standpoint of actually flying the plane.

Absolute nonsense.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by PatrickCPS

A second problem with that, is that while you obviously log the hours as an MEI, its not making you a better pilot from the standpoint of actually flying the plane. When you interview at an airline, cargo, or wherever you go, they want pilots who can fly and be trained to fly their equipment (as well as obviously having knowledge of FARs, etc).

You're right. When I let my students shoot approaches to a VV001 1/2SM ILS, I just sat there and chilled out. Plus, I never had to demonstrate maneuvers, or help them with landings. They just did all of it...I didn't learn a thing.

[PatrickCPS]

Originally Posted by fletchersteel

I feel that I am in the same boat with you. I would like to continue my training at my local FBO, but it is costing me an enormous amount of fuel to get there. Approx $30 each day I go. I cannot get the "educational loans" to help pay the expense. There really is no other FBO that compares here locally, so I make the hour and half drive almost daily. I am about at the point of going to a "big" school, but not sure if it will be worth it, cost wise. It seems that I truely don't need "190 hours of ME"; just to fly right seat at a regional. Do you guys honestly feel that it is that much less expensive at an FBO. I think that the quality of instruction from my FBO is second to none and their track record for employment to regionals seems great for a FBO. The angle flight idea, I thought was a great idea. But, I have to agree, who is willing to let a low time pilot rent a twin?

I'll reiterate what I've already said: I don't think its cheaper after everything has been added up (and I mean everything- flight time, instruction, fuel surcharges, tax, fuel and mileage driving to the FBO, eating lunch or dinner out everyday, etc) to train at an FBO vs an "academy" type program. To me, when you want to evaluate the cost of your flight education, add up the total cost and divide it by the number of hours flown. I'd go one step further, and calculate the cost per hour logged from the LEFT seat.

The qualitative side of this argument, is that you must also compare the quality of instruction you receive wherever you do your training. Are you receiving instruction from a seasoned CFI, perhaps who does this in addition to his professional pilot duties, or are you learning from a guy who got his CFI 3 weeks ago?

If you are fortunate, and can truly get the same quality of flight education at your local FBO for a lower cost, you should do that.