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6 Answers

CFII in multiengine ATD without MEI?

Asked by: 3730 views FAA Regulations, Flight Instructor

Can a CFI with Airplane Single Engine and Instrument Airplane (CFII) ratings give instruction on a multiengine Basic ATD (BATD) pursuant to 61.57(c)(3) for instrument currency purposes without an MEI? This question is about giving such instruction in an ATD, not an actual aircraft (for which the answer is obviously “NO”).

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6 Answers



  1. KDS on Oct 13, 2017

    I can’t find a perfect reference for you, but this one touches in that area:

    https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/agc/pol_adjudication/agc200/interpretations/data/interps/2012/beard%20-%20(2012)%20legal%20interpretation.pdf

    My instinct is to say no, but I cannot put a finger on a supporting document.

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  2. VALKYRIE ONE on Oct 13, 2017

    Actually, according to a DPE whose credibility I trust, a CFII can, in fact, give instrument instruction in a multi-engine aircraft, even without an MEI rating, provided the CFII has a commercial pilot certificate with a multi-engine rating.

    Keep in mind you can’t teach the pilot how to fly a multi-engine aircraft this way. But adding an instrument rating to you CFI certificate doesn’t include a limitation on aircraft class, only on the “airplane” category. So, you can’t teach instruments in a helicopter, because that would require the “Instrument Rotorcraft” rating, but for us fixed wing aviators, we get the “Instrument Airplane” rating added to our certificate.

    So when we add an Instrument Airplane rating to our CFI cert, we’re being approved to teach instrument flying in airplanes. That’s as specific as it gets. There’s no MEII rating. My question to you would be, does the student know how to fly multi-engine aircraft? If so then all you should be teaching is instrument flying. You, as a CFI, need to a pilot cert to get paid flying in the Cat/class you’re in, otherwise you’ll run afoul of the commercial regs.

    So after that clarification, we can apply the same logic to FTDs, ATDs, and so on. 🙂

    But you don’t need to take my word for it, you can get the official FAA opinion by calling your friendly local FSDO. 🙂

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  3. Ken White on Oct 14, 2017

    Doesn’t the first sentence of the second paragraph in the interpretation referenced by KDS contradict what your DPE friend is saying? It reads to me like you must have the specific category and class of aircraft on your instructor certificate before you can give instrument training in it.

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  4. KDS on Oct 14, 2017

    One other small point that is commonly misunderstood. You cannot get an official interpretation from an FAA inspector. That is strictly the purview of the FAA’s Chief Council.

    Depending on the inspector, if they do answer your question, they may or may not caveat it with a statement that their answer is as they understand the regulations, but not official. Part of the logic for that is to keep people from shopping for the answer they like best. The lawyers get it wrong too, but there are less lawyers than inspectors.

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  5. VALKYRIE ONE on Oct 14, 2017

    DOH! 🙂

    Well, if I would’ve just clicked the link above, I’d have been aware of some very useful information. Bear with me, I’m still learning over here. Always verify what the DPE tells you, people! 😛

    I went and checked the FAR 61.195 now, too, and it DOES seem to clarify things a great deal. Now, I should probably relay this info on to my aforementioned DPE. That ought to be an interesting conversation lol.

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  6. KDS on Oct 14, 2017

    Hey, we’re ALL still learning. If anyone tells you they aren’t still learning, don’t fly with them. They’re dangerous.

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