AZFlyer

My situation:
I have 180 hrs TT Private SEL w/ Instrument Rating.

Im going to take out a loan to cover the cost of earning my commercial ticket.

I have been asking around at a local fbo and my old flight school about the best way to approach getting your commercial. I have basically heard two main ideas that both involve getting about another 50 hours in the cheapest basic single I can find before starting the commercial so that I'll finish the training right around 250 hours total time. The two main ideas I have received are:

1) Do all commercial training in a multi; get single enging commercial as an add-on in a non-complex aircraft after commercial multi. Should result in more multi time in the logbook, but might cost more in the end.

2) Do commercial training in the single and then get the multi rating afterwards. Probably cheaper, but not as much valuable multi-time

Another important question I have is, does getting the multi rating added on to a SEL commercial certificate give me a legit multi engine commercial certificate, or is there further multi commercial training/checkride required?

Some people have also mentioned having to be instrument rated for multi in addition to the SEL instrument rating I already posess. I can't seem to verify this.

As soon as I can figure this stuff out, Im going get back in the saddle. So confusing! Any experts out there with some been there, done that advice?

zach141

I wouldn't think you'd want to do full-up commercial maneuvers training in a multi. Plus, unless someone is going to *solo* you in a multi, then you're not getting multi-engine PIC. That is to say, extra dual multi time in your logbook has little value.

As regards, being multi-instrument rated, here's a cut-n-paste from the Commercial Practical Test Standards:
Removal of the “Airplane Multiengine VFR Only” Limitation
The removal of the “Airplane Multiengine VFR Only” limitation, at the commercial pilot certificate level, requires an applicant to satisfactorily perform the following AREAS OF OPERATION and TASKs from the commercial AMEL and AMES PTS in a multiengine airplane that has a manufacturer’s published VMC speed.
AREA OF OPERATION X: MULTIENGINE OPERATIONS
TASK C: ENGINE FAILURE DURING FLIGHT (By Reference to Instruments)
TASK D: INSTRUMENT APPROACH—ONE ENGINE INOPERATIVE (By Reference to Instruments)

Normally, I would say (would have said if asked) that you should consider a Part 141 school. Commercial course would be 120 hrs of flight training, of which 55 must be dual instruction and 30% may be simulator. But if you're sitting at 180 hrs already, you may have too much invested in the Part 61 route.

RickAir usually weighs in with excellent opinions and facts on these sorts of things. Wait until he's up.
Cheers.

esa17

The FAA won't allow DPE's to give VFR only addons if the candidate is IFR SEL rated. They used to but now they've changed their tune.

As far as building time in a multi, it's foolish. Period. No one is hiring right now and they won't be for some time. The best bet is to take your time and do it the traditional way. Get the CSEL then add the multi and THEN time build. If you don't, your multi time that you do have will not be PIC. You'll have a greatful instructor but you won't get as much out of it as you're thinking.

Don't go into serious debt for flight training. Take your time and do it the traditional way. Many people before you have tried to reinvent the wheel and now their paying for it, literally.

If you want to save money on your training the best thing you can do is to study. If you've got your knowledge down then the flying becomes the easy part. You will save yourself thousands just by reading a book!

The FAR/AIM is your friend, not just a door stop. In it lies all salvation. I get the feeling that you're not up on it very well because of your question about additional checkrides. If you knew and understood the regs you'd know that yes, you would have a legit CMEL certificate when you add it on to your CSEL. The only other multi ride you will have to take will be your ATP unless of course you move into float planes.

Ottopilot

Do your commercial in a C152 (the complex part in a C172RG). Save your money. Get your multi after you get your commercial. Avoid debt, find a good instructor. Big school, little school, big plane, little plane. None of that matters, find a good instructor.

propjunkie

It will be incredibly cheaper to do your commercial single engine first, then get your multi add-on. there is no time requirement to get the multi add-on after you have a commercial single. if you go with the multi initial you will need to do several cross countries in the twin which will be very expensive. It also depends on what your career goal is. If you want to go to airline then the multi time will be worth obtaining, If you only want to instruct or fly banners multi time will not matter.

About the instrument rating: you will need to do a single engine approach during your multi check-ride to show you can control a twin in IMC. This will be factored into your training and will not cost any more money.

If you do your commercial multi initial there will be no commercial maneuvers (chandelles, lazy 8's) required until you do the single engine add-on.

hope i could help.

Gajre539

If you want to do all your commercial training in a multi, get a multi private first so you can log all the flight training as PIC.

AZFlyer

Thanks guys, that about answers everything I was wondering.

CSEL with multi add-on looks to be hands down the best way to go.

BigjetLiljet

The way I did it. Save a ton $$ and get the CMEL afterwards.

zach141

Yep, you're right; I should've glanced at the PTS.

postalservice14

I was/am slightly in the same position as you are in. When I "worked the numbers" I found that getting my Multi-Engine Private first was seamingly more beneficial in the long run....Once you have your Multi-Engine Private, you can satisfy your complex time (which will save you money from renting a single engine complex. You can just do your Single Engine Commercial in a 152 or whatever you are comfortable with) and get PIC X-Country time that satisfies your commercial X-Country requirements. The way I have it laid out, I will have 20 hours of multi PIC time when I get my commercial single-engine.

It might be slightly more expensive in the long run, but you gotta understand that while you are paying for more Multi time, you are paying for less single-engine complex time. Which helps dampen the blow a little. :-)

Long story short, work the numbers yourself for the flight school you are going to, talk to your CFI, and be creative. There are clever ways to get your ratings, you just gotta find 'em.