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MEI Rating

Asked by: 11549 views Flight Instructor

Hi,

Hold a CFIIMEI, and keep current but no longer provide much instruction for ratings or certificates. 

I have a request from a multi-engine rated pilot who wants to add on a MEI to his CFII.

I signed him off for his CFII last year and he wants to add the multi-engine instructor rating this year.  

I know I need 5 hrs in type to sign off a multi rating applicant, but not sure of any requirements to sign off for a multi-engine instructor rating instructor. 

I have no time in the twin he wants to use, a Piper Seneca. Only Apache and Navaho.

Any help with the question would be greatly appreciated.  

Rick

 

 

 

 

 

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1 Answers



  1. Russ Roslewski on Feb 18, 2016

    61.195 (f) has your answer:

    (f) Training received in a multiengine airplane, a helicopter, or a powered-lift. A flight instructor may not give training required for the issuance of a certificate or rating in a multiengine airplane, a helicopter, or a powered-lift unless that flight instructor has at least 5 flight hours of pilot-in-command time in the specific make and model of multiengine airplane, helicopter, or powered-lift, as appropriate.

    Since an MEI is certainly a “certificate or rating”, you need to have the 5 hours in make and model.

    So now we’re faced with two questions – can you give the training, and should you?

    1. Can you?

    Yes, you have to have 5 hours make/model to train him for the MEI. However, how many hours of training is he required to get for the MEI? None, possibly. He has to have 15 hours Multi PIC (61.183) but if he has that, then it’s only a matter of training “to proficiency” which could take a few hours or 100 hours.

    Since YOU don’t need to have 5 hours make/model to provide training in multi, just in order to train for a rating, what is sometimes done to work around this rule is you fly with him for 5 hours giving him training on “right seat re-familiarization” or “Seneca instruction” or “multiengine currency” or “aircraft familiarization” or “systems practice” or even something like “GPS and autopilot familiarization”. Anything except “MEI training”. You do this for 5 hours, at which time you now have 5 hours of make/model PIC since you were acting as a CFI. Then you can provide him instruction toward his MEI and sign him off. Of course there is a lot of overlap in the content…

    2. Should you?

    Now that’s the hard question. The rule for 5 hours of make and model was supposedly intended to prevent a snowball of inexperienced instructors (in that airframe) training inexperienced pilots by requiring some minimal level of specific experience. The work-around above is such an easy and well-known way to “defeat” the intent of the 5 hours make/model that it renders it irrelevant and eliminates any safety benefit. That’s a decision for you to make, based on your other experience, whether you feel safe and comfortable providing him training in an airframe you’ve never flown. Your call.

    3. Insurance?

    I didn’t say there was a third point, but there is. I’d make sure to read the insurance policy and make sure everything’s good from that standpoint.

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