Redbaron63

I understand that many in the instructor community and the FAA examiners discourage getting the MEI prior to the CFI. With that understanding is it possible to obtain an MEI first without red flagging the FAA examiner? I heard that they hate doing this and look to fail people who take this route.

I will probably not instruct as an MEI for a while, but since right now I am on the top of my game with Multi Comm., I wonder if it would be a good idea, since I am "in the neighborhood". I want the rating, but am not ready or have the time to instruct MEI - at present. In reality, I will eventually do the CFI but much later on.

Thanks

Falconone

that's the way atp does it, me for the initial, cfii, and then se instructor for the addon, so it is possible

michael95u

What I have found is that most FSDO's want students to go the traditional route (CFI ---> CFI-I ----> MEI). At my school, we have done CFI, CFI-I, and MEI as initials. They told me 6 months ago that they would no longer do CFI-I as initials. But they are fine with either the CFI or MEI. I will say that the students who went the MEI route had a far more difficult oral, especially dealing with aerodynamics. But they have all gotten through (100% pass rate with the KC FSDO!).

Michael

LucasM

I'm currently going to ATP right now and that's how I did it. Got the MEI first and I just got my CFII last saturday, no big deal . As far as my oral exam for the MEI went, it was pretty much everything under the sun about being a flight instructor, FOI, logbook endorsments, etc. From my whole month of being it flight instructor, i've found that it is much harder to find multi-engine students right out of the box, not that it matters to much since I will have my CFI-SE in about another month or so.

atlmsl

There's no reason not to. If you're currently doing ME work for your commercial then you are quite current in the airplane. The transition to the right seat for the MEI will be easier because you are proficient in the manuevers. Then once you get the MEI with the FSDO you can get your CFI with a DE and start getting private students. The initial is the hardest, so do it in the airplane you are most comfortable in at the time. Another good thing is you'll have a valuable rating from the start. Many instructors plan on getting the MEI but their schedules, money, or motivation prevent it.

IFly17

You can do it any way you want. I did CFI, others I know did CFII and one did his MEI first and a few brave souls did their CFI/MEI in one checkride. Depending on your local FSDO you may still have to go there for your checkride and do it with an inspector but you can still do the MEI first. My local FSDO pretty much requires all CFI rides to go through them, and even though they strongly encourage doing your CFI first they will still do a CFII/MEI ride initially. When I was getting ready for my ride the FSDO was backed up so I called the one down state. They offered me the choice of doing it with an inspector or an examiner. I did my ride with an examiner because he was a lot closer then the FSDO. Either way, be prepared for the FOI stuff, and teaching. The only difference will you are gonna teach multi-stuff instead of single stuff.

Redbaron63

Thanks to all of you who replied to my question. Another recurring theme that I hear is "be able to explain the maneuvers". Some even stress that it (the CFI/MEI checkride) is more about the instructor's ability to communicate and teach, than anything else.

I am a college professor by profession and I get very good reviews from my students. It is because that I and organized and show empathy when I teach (Economics). Will this give me any sort of edge, or would it seem to arrogant if I even mention it during the checkride? I wonder if the same teching techniques in the classroom can work when presenting, for example, a VMC demonstration.

Falconone

It will help very much, I think you can skip the FOI written test with a teacher's certificate.

IFly17

The FOI is a waste of the 15 or 20 minutes it took to take the test and prepare for it. A written test is not the way to gauge the ability to teach--its a way to check rote memory.

As a college prof, you should not have to take the FOI test and you will blow away anything the examiner/inspector will give you regarding teaching technique. On the flip side, with your teaching background they may expect your technical knowledge, or even your ability to teach the most technical subjects to be well above that of the every day instructor applicant. You are probably way better off then the average guy none the less.