How to Get a Multi-Engine Instrument Flight Rating

​To fly a single-engine airplane, you must pass a written exam, a third-class medical exam, and a check ride with an examiner, ultimately earning your private pilot license. With this license, you can pursue a multi-engine instrument rating, which allows you to fly aircraft that transport passengers.

This rating lets you fly lighter multi-engine planes like the Piper Aztec or Cessna 310, which are smaller than commercial airline jets like the Boeing 737 and an Airbus. While you can transport passengers, you cannot transport as many as a commercial airline pilot. Commercial airline pilots can also apply for this rating because it allows them to fly other aircraft besides airline passengers.

The key benefit of obtaining this rating for a private pilot is the ability to transport more passengers, though not as many as a commercial airline pilot. While multi-engine aircraft can be more challenging to control, they offer greater options and more time to respond if an engine fails. Additionally, this rating means you won’t need to take another written test if you pursue other ratings and do not plan to obtain a commercial pilot license.

The first step to obtaining this rating is ensuring you meet the criteria, which includes holding a private pilot’s license. However, you also have to have completed flight training, hold a valid medical certificate, get endorsed by a pilot examiner, and pass an in-flight test, called a check ride, with an examiner.

The next step is enrolling in a flight program. In some cases, a pilot is already eligible for their multi-engine rating, but you cannot receive the rating until you have flown for at least three hours in a multi-engine aircraft with an instructor. You do not have to enroll in a flight program, but by doing so, you can log in some of the hours needed to qualify for the rating.

You should prepare for check rides (test runs), the final step in achieving ratings. The purpose of this exam is for you to demonstrate to the person administering the exam that you have the skill and judgment to operate an aircraft safely. This part of receiving the certification requires that you commit to completing several flight hours to ensure your skill shines through while in the skies.

During the check ride, the examiner will ask questions about multi-engine systems, including the propeller, electrical, and hydraulic systems, to ensure you understand their operation. You’ll also need to know key concepts like minimum control engine speed, which refers to the lowest airspeed an aircraft can maintain after engine loss, and the factors that influence it. The exam may also cover weight and balance calculations and how the center of gravity affects flight performance, as well as how to respond to different stages of engine failure.

The check-ride examiner and you will take a flight with a pre-flight inspection. You must show that you can complete single-engine and engine-out procedures in the air. You’ll also need to perform emergency landings, including with one operational engine, and show proficiency in takeoff, ascent, and descent, with maneuvers involving both multi-engine and single-engine operations. Finally, you must prove you can communicate with air traffic control and follow requisite safety procedures.

The only drawback to getting a multi-engine rating as a private pilot is that if you decide to become a commercial pilot, you will also have to get an additional multi-engine rating. The private pilot multi-engine rating does not carry over to the commercial license. If you do decide to become a commercial pilot, the best approach is to wait on the multi-engine rating so as not to have to repeat the process.

Jeff Civian

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