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  #12  
Old October 14th 05, 06:06 PM
Michael
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I only found 1 place http://www.multiengine.net/ it costs $350.00 for a
check out and $3,500 for 100 hours of Multi Engine Time. Has anyone dealt
with multiengine.net?


I've never dealt with them, but I do know someone who has. I know
exactly who they are - they are based at Galveston, which is right in
my backyard.

What they really are is a pipeline/platform inspection company. They
fly Twin Comanches with long range tanks offshore - over the Gulf of
Mexico. They are Part 91 (since they carry neither passengers nor
cargo for hire) but since the flights are for hire, they require the
commercial multi. They have traditionally flown 2-man crews, but
somewhere along the line they figured out that they could make a little
extra money by selling the left seat. The right seat is occupied by an
actual qualified Twin Comanche pilot, and the left by anyone with a
commercial-multi willing to pay for the privilege.

You will, no ****, get loggable multi time out of this. These guys are
for real, they have been around for years, they're not going anywhere.
What you won't get: any significant training in how to handle the
airplane in emergency situations (that's what the paid pilot is there
for). Any significant training in the operation and systems of the
airplane (that's what the paid pilot is there for). Basically, you
will sit in the seat, manipulate the controls in primarily day-VFR
conditions (they will punch the marine layer to dispatch, but that's
about all), and get to make 1 takeoff and 1 landing for every 6 hours
of flight time (they have extended range tanks and fly at low power
settings) on a long (6000 ft) unobstructed paved wide runway. What I'm
basically telling you is that you will not be getting 100 hours
experience for your $3500 - you will be getting 5 hours expereince 20
times.

I once had a guy who logged quite a few hours with them fly my Twin
Comanche. He needed a lot of help. He also knew essentially nothing
about the systems. But hey - it was all loggable multi, and it got him
three interviews at the commuters.

Michael