Is the MEI worth it?
 

I have my CFII, and will graduate from my university's aviation program Winter 08. I will have an oppurtunity to earn my MEI early next year, yet the FBO I work at in the summers do not have a Multi-engine aircraft. I am looking at a Horizon Interview real soon after graduation.

My question is, would earning the MEI be worth the time and money if I never used the actual rating before getting hired by Horizon?

Will it be worth it financially? Probably not, but you could use it simply as a personal advancement, or in a couple years to renew your CFI ticket. I finally let my CFI laps last year, but I'm thinking about getting my MEI to renew it. All I should have to do is alittle brushing up on the books and the ride, since I already far exceed the mins. So I'd imagin I should be able to do it under $500, maybe.

From my experience....no. I never got one and got hired at Horizon. If you need it to build ME time, then it would be worth it....unless you seriously don't ever plan to use it.

Mista,

If you look at it like this...it is one more credential that separates you from the rest. Another thing, it will help you to be more intimate with Multi-Engine concepts - if you follow me.

I have had my MEI since March of this year, and I didn't start using it until about 2 months ago. So what if your flight school might not have a twin, but if you putts around your airport and bump into people that own a twin...it can be a beautiful thing ;)

Also, you may not have to purchase Multi time...IT WILL SAVE YOU A BUTTLOAD OF MONEY!

I guess if you want to look into the future, when you are a Captain...and you have an FNG sitting right next to you, you will be able to sympathize with him/her a little bit better - hehehe.

I know these are a lot of scattered thoughts, but I am just saying whatever comes to my mind...I hope this helps you out Bud...

Good luck, and let us know what you decide...

Lax

Do it unless you have a much more important need for the money. It should only take about 6 hours of dual to get the rating. You will learn a lot and it will build your confidence. You will not sweat V1 cuts in the future.

Thank everyone for your input, I'll look into it. Would it be wise to start the MEI right after I get my multi since I am used to the airplane and all the manuevers (they are all fresh in my head). Or should I got out and share some time with another pilot building time to get more experience? Don't you have to have at least 15 PIC time in a multi-engine plane to be a MEI? I always forget how that works, I'll pull out the FARs and take a look. Thanks again.

You have to have 15 hours PIC to get an MEI. I would try do get it done as soon as you can so that you don't have to re learn everything. There is nothing that says that you have to do the commercial add-on in the left seat, you could start in the right, but being an instructor already, you can probably go back and forth without too much problems.

And you have to have 5hrs PIC in each plane your going to teach in.

Mista Mista!
 

Mista,

Get that PIC, and like you said, do the MEI while the maneuvers are fresh in your head. There is only one additional maneuver called the "Drag Demo"...which is a brainless maneuver - it's cake bud.

To be honest...I thought my MEI ride was fun more than anything ;)

What are you doing yours in? Let us know what kind...just in case you need any good rules of thumb...

Lax

Just remember:

Dead foot=Dead engine. Identify, verify, feather.

There. Your done.

Oh yeah. Something about Vmc, Blueline and assorted other stuff.

But really MEI training was fun. I even got a few multi students after I got rated. There is nothing quite as cool as going up in the twin with someone else paying the bill.