Multi-Engine Rating FAQs
Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles

Our accelerated multi-engine program is built to be completed in 8 days. That plan combines 8 hours of ground school, 5 hours of online videos, 8 hours of dual flight instruction, and 9.5 hours of aircraft rental, with the checkride flight portion included. Those figures are the program structure, and your own proficiency can change how much flying you need. Our team will help you shape the eight days around your calendar, and our guide to the 8-day course shows how the stages fit together.

Our course is planned for 8 days, not 3. A multi-engine rating still requires ground work, flight training in the airplane, and a checkride with an FAA examiner, and rushing those steps leaves little time to absorb engine-out procedures. If you are working against a deadline, tell us your open dates and we will build the plan around them. Our guide to 3-day claims explains what a fast course should include.

You need to hold at least a private pilot certificate and earn the required endorsements from an authorized instructor before the checkride. A commercial certificate holder is a very common candidate, and a private pilot can add the rating too. Bring your pilot certificate, current medical, and logbook, and finish the online videos early so your flying days stay efficient. Our preparation checklist walks through each step.

No. There is no written exam for this add-on rating, so you go from preparation straight to training and the practical test. Whether you are a career-track pilot or flying for fun, that means your study time goes into systems, aerodynamics, and checklists instead of a knowledge test. Our instructors will confirm your endorsements and walk you through what to review before the checkride.

The program includes 8 hours of ground school on aircraft systems, single-engine aerodynamics, and weight and balance, 5 hours of online videos, 8 hours of dual flight instruction, and 9.5 hours of aircraft rental with the checkride flight portion included. Your starting point sets the pace, and our instructors will tell you where you stand as you go. Our multi-engine program page shows the full structure.

No. A multi-engine rating is a class rating added to your existing pilot certificate, not a separate certificate. It gives you the privilege to fly airplanes with more than one engine, and it builds on what you already hold. For pilots aiming at charter, cargo, or airline work, it is a common step, and our team can show you where it fits in your longer plan.

The program investment runs $4,440 to $4,850. Your total depends on aircraft time, instructor time, and the checkride, and it can move with your proficiency. We use a pay-as-you-go model, so you are not asked for a large upfront deposit. Our cost breakdown explains what drives the number.

Our Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche, N7738Y, rents for $320 an hour. It is a 1965 twin with a Garmin GNX 375, a Garmin 345 audio panel, and a GI-106A VOR indicator. If you are training with us, the aircraft time is part of the program, and if you are a rated pilot interested in rental, contact us to confirm current availability. See the Twin Comanche page for details.

Yes, you have options. You can pay as you go after each lesson, or use our financing partners, Stratus Financial, AOPA Financing, and Columbia Bank. Pilots paying out of pocket often prefer pay as you go, and those planning a larger training path may like a loan. Our financing page can help you compare.

The checkride is a practical test with an FAA examiner, and it has an oral portion and a flight portion. You act as pilot in command of a multi-engine airplane and show that you can handle normal operations and engine-out emergencies. Your instructor recommends you when you are ready, and our guide to the multi-engine checkride walks through test day.

All training is based at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) in Los Angeles, one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country. Working with air traffic control and parallel-runway traffic builds the radio and decision habits that multi-engine and airline flying both ask for. Visit our location page to plan your visit.

Yes. Active students get free access to our X-Plane simulator, which is a low-cost place to run checklists and engine-out flows before you fly the real airplane. It does not replace flying, but it builds the habit of working through a sequence in order. See our simulator training page for details.