Part 61 MEI’s with a plane

[AndyMac]

Here in Michigan, I’m told there are basically two, and I’m told they both basically have negative reputations. (Have not verified these claims, though they came from a trustworthy source.)

Why aren’t there more? Can it be done well? Is this a market opportunity or an indication that there is no market demand for such?

I’m playing with the idea of buying an Apache or Aztec for primary use as a training ship for a local group of MEIs. Will it ever get rented?

Thanks for your help!


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[Ryan F.]

Is this a market opportunity or an indication that there is no market demand for such?

Maybe the former. Maybe the latter. Maybe neither. Not familiar with your region, so I couldn't say, but generally speaking from my experience in airman certification... probably the latter.

It's a specialized market which tends to cater to career-track pilots. Plenty of flight schools out there don't even operate a light twin. Maybe every 10th checkride I do is in a light twin. If I didn't administer practical tests for fast-track career training providers it'd probably be one in 30 or 40.

 

[KaiGywer]

I've heard good things about Traverse Air up in TVC

 

[Jim Carpenter]

Except for the big-city markets, it's a tough go, just ends up too expensive for anyone to keep and maintain a twin for the limited annual training hours. If you try to extrapolate from Ryan F.'s (absolute best-case) statistics of 10% multi-engine rate, look at how many training hours go on in the singles in your area, per year, then divide by 10 (very crude estimate, I know). So, let's say your training twin might move 150 hours a year (That would probably be an overestimated high total), divide insurance, maintenance, hangar, annual or 100-hour, you'll get a pretty high hourly fixed-cost number. Not saying it can't be done, but........
Much better scenario if you were the MEI, and wanted to buy a light twin for yourself anyway, then instruction might help supplement your costs.

 

[AggieMike88]

Being done near me.

Join the FB group North Texas Aviators and look for a fellow named David Stallsmith.

 

[MauleSkinner]

And if you ask around whether people would rent/train in a twin, I’d go with 10% of the number of positive responses as pretty high if an airplane actually shows up for them to rent.

 

[Der Fliegermeister]

Did mine with Tom over in TC. It's an old noisy airplane, but did the job well as a trainer. I have no qualms recommending people to work with Tom.

 

[martym]

I’m playing with the idea of buying an Apache or Aztec for primary use as a training ship for a local group of MEIs. Will it ever get rented?

Where abouts in MI? Would you be interested in bartering A&P time in exchange for use of the plane?

 

[AndyMac]

Where abouts in MI? Would you be interested in bartering A&P time in exchange for use of the plane?

I’ve sent you a DM. Interesting idea.


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