Definition
A Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) is a CFI who has earned the multi-engine instructor rating under 14 CFR Part 61, granting the authority to provide flight instruction in multi-engine aircraft. The MEI can train pilots seeking to add a multi-engine class rating to their certificate at any level — private, commercial, or ATP — and can provide the training required for multi-engine proficiency checks and flight reviews in multi-engine aircraft. To obtain the MEI rating, a pilot must already hold a CFI certificate and a commercial pilot certificate (or ATP) with a multi-engine class rating. The applicant must then pass a practical test demonstrating their ability to teach multi-engine operations, with particular emphasis on instructing engine-out procedures, Vmc demonstrations, single-engine approaches, and the aerodynamic principles of asymmetric thrust. The MEI practical test evaluates the applicant's ability to safely manage training scenarios that involve intentionally simulating engine failures — a high-risk training environment that demands exceptional judgment and airmanship from the instructor. The MEI rating is the final instructor certificate in the standard CFI progression (CFI, CFII, MEI) and is often pursued by career-track pilots as it adds multi-engine instructional time to their logbooks. Teaching in multi-engine aircraft allows MEIs to build valuable multi-engine PIC time, which is attractive to employers such as airlines and charter operators that value multi-engine experience in their hiring criteria.
Why It Matters for Flight Schools
Multi-engine instruction presents unique safety considerations for flight schools. Engine-failure training in actual multi-engine aircraft involves deliberate power reductions on one engine, creating real asymmetric thrust conditions that must be managed carefully to avoid loss of control. The instructor must be prepared to take immediate corrective action if a student fails to maintain directional control during Vmc demonstrations or simulated engine failures. Schools must ensure their MEIs are not only qualified but highly experienced and current in multi-engine operations. From a scheduling perspective, MEIs are a specialized resource. A school may have only one or two MEIs on staff, and multi-engine aircraft availability is typically limited. Coordinating MEI schedules with multi-engine aircraft availability and student demand requires careful planning, especially during peak training periods when multiple students may be progressing through multi-engine courses simultaneously.
How Aviatize Handles This
Aviatize tracks MEI qualifications separately from standard CFI and CFII ratings, ensuring multi-engine training sessions are only scheduled with instructors who hold the appropriate multi-engine instructor authorization. The platform coordinates the dual resource constraint of MEI availability and multi-engine aircraft availability, preventing scheduling conflicts where an MEI is booked but no multi-engine aircraft is available, or vice versa. For schools running multi-engine training courses, Aviatize manages the intensive scheduling requirements typical of accelerated multi-engine programs — often multiple sessions per day over consecutive days. The platform tracks each student's multi-engine training milestones, including engine-out procedure proficiency and checkride readiness indicators, providing MEIs with a clear picture of student progress throughout the compressed training timeline.