Originally Posted by cospilot

HectorD:

What do you want to do?

By getting your Private Multi now, what is that going to accomplish? For other than flying around, to be useful, you really need a Commercial Multi with Instrument privileges with about 100 hours in a multi for anyone to look at you.

If you go to SLU, what is the career path for flying there?

• Private Single
• Instrument Single
• Commercial
• Commercial Multi with Instrument privileges
• CFI
• CFI-I
• MEI

In which case you should just wait, like RomeoSierra suggested and do a commercial multi with instrument privileges.

So, what are your ultimate goals with flying? Do you want to fly for a regional airline and someday maybe a major? Do you want to fly charter or freight? Would you be happy flight instructing?

What about your degree? Do you know how much a professional pilot makes? Do you know what an entry-level engineer makes?

A new hire first officer makes about $20/hour before taxes which works out to around $20K/year their first year. It gets a little better the second year. I think an entry-level engineer, straight out of college, is going to make probably twice that, if I were to guess.

Also, consider that even at the best regional airlines right now, captain upgrades have completely stalled. Upgrades are taking about four to five years at my airline now and flying hours have been cut back drastically.

Don't get my wrong, if you were meant to fly...fly! Just be aware of what lies down the road.

If you are looking for something to do this summer, get your ground schools out of the way: Instrument, Commercial, and ATP. They are good for two years after you take them.

As for getting your multi- rating, I would say pass.

If you want to spend more money on flying, fly cross-country and work towards getting the hours and requirements that you are going to need for your single-engine commercial rating. Keep your skills sharp.

I hope this helps! Good luck!

Jeff

Originally Posted by 250 or point 65

The only thing why you would benefit from getting your Pvt multi is..again..for getting time towards PIC for your MEI. However, if you're gonna pay for it now or pay for it later...doesn't really matter all that much.

Historically at Parks, if you have your MEI, you have all the multi students you could want. One of my best friends got hired with just his MEI and flew nothing but for a long time until they forced him to get the other ratings.

However, it will be different when you go through. Who knows how the industry will be when you're ready to get hired. Who knows how many flight students there will be. The biggest factor of them all is going to be whether they switch to single commercial initial by then. In the past, they always did multi commercial initial with a single engine add-on. Thats why there was so much multi to be had as an instructor. Find out if they are going to make the full switch to single commercial initial. If this is the case, DO NOT waste the money because you will get much fewer hours PIC in an add-on course.

Ok, sorry, on second thought, I change my mind. DO NOT spend the money. If you are really looking for your 15 PIC, you can take your PVT multi half way through the instrument course. That's what I would do.

Talk to SB and see what he thinks. He won't BS you.