Milestone: Commercial Rating (checkride in the RV-6A)

[kyhunting]

Checkride this January out of KEHR. Stalls, emergency descents, engine out landings, soft field, short field. It was not easy but doable. The RV-6A wasn?t the easiest to do the Lazy Eights or the Chandelles to spec. Definitely not a C172 in those areas. I had used the same DPE for my IFR checkride so he was comfortable doing the commercial in an RV. Thank you to Mr. Van for giving us a very capable airplane. The Corona Virus has put me in the holding pattern as far as my next step? The multi-engine commercial add on. With that said, does anyone have recommendations for a flight school for the multi engine add on? Thanks David

[DeltaRomeo]

Congratulations!!!!

I got my Commercial in my RV-6 also - not the easiest platform for the maneuvers, but doable.

As for the ME rating, I found a local outfit that owned a Diamond 42 and knocked it out in 6 flights (including checkride). Ten hours. The DA-42 flies like an RV (pitch not roll) with both engines running, and a weak RV single engine <grin>. Gigantic trim knob on the panel makes it a nothingburger.

Again congrats on using your RV for your commercial checkride.

v/r,dr

[kyhunting]

Thanks Doug! I followed you through your Commercial single and then the multi. It was your success with the RV that gave me the inspiration to give it a try in mine. I was trying to find a school that has a Diamond 42 based on your write up. David

[kbalch]

Originally Posted by kyhunting

Does anyone have recommendations for a flight school for the multi engine add on?

Congrats on your Commercial!!

Multi-wise, you don't say whether you're willing to travel. If so, the outfit I used back in 1998 is still around. They offer a well-honed program in a Seneca and a no-surprise (though definitely not a 'gimme') checkride. At the time, I drove down to Groton, CT from the Boston area and it was worth every penny.

Action Multi Ratings

[swaltner]

I don?t have first hand knowledge of flying with them, but I do know that Prairie Air Service in Benton, KS keeps their twin busy throughout the year with people working on theIr multi-engine ratings.

http://prairieairservice.com/

[ronrapp]

I'd recommend ATP. They're kind of a diploma mill, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for primary training, but I will say they know the Seminole and they know multi-engine procedures.

Nothing will be easier than doing it in a TwinStar (except, perhaps, an AirCam), and there's an argument to be made that if you're headed for a jet of some sort, the more modern Diamond is closer to that.

But there are some things you simply won't learn in the DA42. There's a big difference between having two levers in front of you and having six of them. You only get one chance to grab the correct one. The TwinStar feather itself, which makes the checkride easier... but if are going to be moving up to a more traditional twin (Comanche, Twin Beech, King Air, Conquest, etc) after getting your multi-engine rating, you'll be better prepared if you take the multi-engine training in something like the Seminole.

You can do the multi- rating in a long weekend; one of the reasons I selected ATP for my own multi-engine rating is that they have variety of locations and a large fleet of Seminoles. When one breaks down, they just move you into one of the other examples sitting on the ramp. So mechanical issues, should they occur, are less likely to impact your training.

If you'd like to read the writeup of my 2004 multi rating at ATP, it's available here: http://www.rapp.org/archives/2004/07...engine_rating/

Good luck. We're all counting on you.

--Ron

[WA85]

I would also recommend ATP, 10 hrs over 2.5 days. They will shake and bake you, but you will come out with your MEL if you do your part. Polish your instrument skils before going, because most of the time it is a MEL Commercial w/ instrument.

[DeltaRomeo]

When I stopped in at ATP last year with my checkbook in hand looking for a ME course, they politely told me to get lost. Something about the pilot demand being so huge they were only accepting 'zero to hero' students ready to sign up for all the ratings, not just an add-on ME.

Since I'm only '0 to 0.1' I found a 1-person school (same airport few doors down) that owned a DA-42 and knocked it out fast (and considerably cheaper than ATP would have charged me).

Maybe CV-19 has changed the 'pilot demand' variable and they are now hungry for students.

My .02.

[BobTurner]

To OP: I?m always curious: Did you have logged RG dual time, or did your DPE accept your RV as a TAA?

[thompsonbr87]

Congrats! I did the same about a month ago. I'm looking for somewhere to do a multi add-on as well once COVID is in the rear view. I'm considering Eagle Flight Academy at JQD (just SE of Owensboro) in their Twin Comanche.