Handle an engine failure
You learn to identify a failed engine, verify it, and feather the propeller using the checklist, then fly the airplane on the remaining engine. The sequence is rehearsed until it becomes habit.
Program Details
Multi-Engine Rating
in Los Angeles
Add a second engine to your certificate in about a week. ActivePILOT's 8-day accelerated multi-engine course at Van Nuys Airport pairs focused ground work with dual instruction in a Piper Twin Comanche.
Program investment
$4,440 - $4,850
Course length
8 days
Dual instruction
8 hours
Training airport
KVNY
A Multi-Engine Rating Is Learned
in Days, Not Months
A multi-engine rating is a class rating you add to a pilot certificate you already hold. It lets you fly airplanes with more than one engine, and it teaches the skill that sets twins apart, which is managing the airplane when one engine stops.
Our accelerated multi-engine rating is built to be completed in eight days. It 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.
If you searched for a 3-day course, we plan for eight days because the training needs room to settle. Our guide to 3-day multi-engine claims explains how to judge any fast-track promise.
If you would rather read at your own pace first, start with our multi-engine rating FAQs.
What the Multi-Engine
Rating Should Prepare You to Do
A multi-engine rating is not about learning a new airplane from scratch. It is about handling a twin when something goes wrong. Here is what a serious multi-engine training course should build in you.
Understand Vmc and asymmetric thrust
With one engine out, thrust is uneven and the airplane wants to yaw toward the dead side. You practice Vmc demonstrations and maneuvering under asymmetric power so the correction is automatic.
Request InfoFly a single-engine approach and landing
At Van Nuys you fly a pattern and land with only one engine producing power, working with a tower controller on the radio the whole time.
See Our LocationTrain in our Twin Comanche
Our Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche, N7738Y, rents for $320 an hour and carries a Garmin GNX 375, a Garmin 345 audio panel, and a GI-106A VOR indicator.
Meet the Twin ComancheAdd it on its own or as part of an airline path
You can add the rating as a stand-alone add-on to a private or commercial certificate. If you are building toward the airlines, it also fits into the longer route in our Zero-1500 program, where it typically follows the commercial single-engine certificate.
Zero to Airline PathSkip the written exam
There is no FAA written exam for this add-on rating, so your preparation goes into systems, aerodynamics, checklists, and flying.
Preparation ChecklistSteps to Earning
Your Multi-Engine Rating
The path is short and clear. Here is how the eight days come together, from prerequisites to a rating on your certificate.
Step 1: Confirm you meet the requirements
Before you start, make sure you have what the add-on needs.
1
Hold at least a private pilot certificate.
2
Earn the required endorsements from an authorized instructor.
3
Bring your pilot certificate, current medical, and logbook.
Step 2: Complete ground school and the online videos
The classroom portion builds the knowledge you will use in the airplane.
1
Ground school:
8 hours on aircraft systems, single-engine aerodynamics, and weight and balance. 2
Online videos:
5 hours that reinforce the fundamentals and critical concepts. 3
Practice checklists on our free X-Plane simulator as an active student.
Step 3: Train in the Twin Comanche
Flight training covers normal and emergency multi-engine operations and maneuvers at Van Nuys Airport.
1
Engine-inoperative procedures and feathering.
2
Vmc demonstrations and maneuvering under asymmetric power.
3
Single-engine approaches and landings.
Estimated completion time: 8 hours dual instruction and 9.5 hours aircraft rental, checkride flight portion included
Step 4: Pass the checkride with an FAA examiner
The practical test has an oral portion and a flight portion, and you act as pilot in command of a multi-engine airplane.
1
Explain the airplane's systems and performance in the oral.
2
Demonstrate the maneuvers you practiced.
Step 5: Pay as you go or finance the course
We bill pay as you go, so there is no large deposit required to start. Financing partners include Stratus Financial, AOPA Financing, and Columbia Bank.
Financing OptionsBuild Your Multi-Engine Plan
Around Your Goal
A multi-engine rating fits into a bigger plan. Use these pages to read deeper on the course, the cost, and the checkride.
Multi-Engine Rating FAQs
Quick answers on days, cost, requirements, and the checkride.
The 8-Day Course Stage by Stage
What each stage of the accelerated course looks like.
3-Day Multi-Engine Rating Explained
Why we plan for eight days and how to judge fast-track claims.
Multi-Engine Preparation Checklist
What to finish before day one.
Multi-Engine Checkride Guide
What to expect on the final day.
Multi-Engine Rating Cost Breakdown
What drives the program investment.
Multi-Engine Program Page
Review the full program.
Commercial Pilot License
Review the certificate many pilots hold before adding multi-engine.
Zero to 1500 Program
See the airline path that includes multi-engine.
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Multi-Engine Rating
Questions
Our accelerated program is built to be completed in 8 days. Your own proficiency can change how much flying you need, and our instructors will tell you where you stand as you go.
You need to hold at least a private pilot certificate and earn the required endorsements from an authorized instructor before the checkride.
No. There is no FAA written exam for this add-on rating. You prepare for the practical test with an FAA examiner instead.
The program investment runs $4,440 - $4,850. Your total depends on aircraft time, instructor time, and the checkride, and it can move with your proficiency.
You train in our Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche, N7738Y, a 1965 twin with a Garmin GNX 375, a Garmin 345 audio panel, and a GI-106A VOR indicator. It rents for $320 an hour.
No. It is a class rating added to your existing pilot certificate, so you add the privilege to fly airplanes with more than one engine.
No. We operate on a pay-as-you-go model, so you pay for instruction and aircraft time after each lesson, and financing is available through Stratus Financial, AOPA Financing, and Columbia Bank.
Training is based at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 204, Van Nuys, CA 91406, one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country.
Yes. Active students get free access to our X-Plane simulator to practice checklists and engine-out flows before the real airplane.
Add a Second Engine
to Your Certificate
Tell us your certificate, your goals, and your open dates, and our team will map out your eight days. Contact us to confirm current availability for the Twin Comanche.