Multi engine instrument rating (IFR)

Location

Location practice

Charleroi Airport Rue des Fusillés, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium

Duration

1 week.

Multi engine instrument rating (IFR) training program

Program:

• 5 hours of instruction in the Diamond DA42 Twinstar
• 7 hour briefings and all the documents and manuals

General

The MEP (multi-engine piston) rating is a so-called class rating that grants the right to its holder to fly multi-engine piston aircrafts. Having an MEP rating is a requirement to be able to do a MCC (Multi Crew Coordination Course) which in turn is a requirement for most airlines for their cadets. So it is a very important part of the training for commercial pilots.

Initial Requirements

Before one can begin the Multi-Engine Piston Rating (MEP) course the candidate needs to have flown 70 hours serving as a pilot in command. If one also wants a Multi Engine Rating, a valid Single Engine Instrument Rating is also required before the commencement of this flight training

Practical training

The course is divided into two parts, one is flying visually (VFR) and one part is instrument flying (IFR). For the VFR section there are 6 hours to be flown in dual control, of which 3.5 hours with an engine in asymmetric conditions and 2.5 hours in normal flight. The second part consists of 5 hours of blind flying under IFR in dual control, both in normal flight and in asymmetric flight.

Theory practice

A theoretical course should be done at the flight school that consists of seven hours of briefings on the flight principles of multiengine flying. Additionally also briefings about the plane used for training. At the school a theory exam will be held. The entire MEP training must be completed within six months, incl. the briefing, theory test and the exam.

Rehabilitation (rating has not yet expired)

The multi-engine rating expires each year and therefore a proficiency check should be done every year by an examiner. This can be from 3 months before the expiry date. If you combine the proficiency check for multi engine with multi engine IR, you revalidate automatically your single engine IR as well.

Renewal (rating has expired)

If the rating has expired, the flight school provides the training program that the candidate must go through before a check is conducted by an examiner. If the rating has expired less than one year, two training flights should be done before the candidate may do the exam. And if the rating has expired for longer than one year but less than three years have gone by, three training flights must be done. If the rating has expired for more than 3 years, the full course must be done again.

Other information

The MEP and MEP IR courses can be combined with training for commercial pilot (CPL). Training in the airplane for the CPL license can be done in a multi-engine piston aircraft upon successful completion of the six-hour VFR training (asymmetric and normal). In this way one can obtain the CPL license, Multi Engine Rating (MEP) and the Instrument Rating (IR) with only 1 exam and fewer hours for about the same cost. All hours are on multi-engine aircrafts which is better for your flight experience.