How Long Does It Take to Get a Multi-Engine Rating?

If you’re an instrument-rated or commercial pilot eyeing the multi-engine rating, the first question is almost always the same: how long is this going to take? As a Designated Pilot Examiner, I’ll give you the honest answer — and the part most people miss that determines whether you finish in days or drag it out for weeks.

The short answer

The multi-engine add-on has no FAA-mandated minimum number of hours — it’s based on proficiency, not a fixed time. In practice, many pilots who arrive prepared finish the flight training in roughly 5 to 10 hours of dual instruction, often over a few days to a couple of weeks. The checkride itself is a single day: an oral followed by a flight.

What actually drives the timeline

• How current and proficient you are — rusty stick-and-rudder skills add hours.
• The airplane and your comfort with complex systems — constant-speed props, gear, and crossfeed take some adjustment.
• Aircraft and instructor availability — scheduling, weather, and maintenance can stretch the calendar more than the actual flying.
• How well you’ve prepared on the ground — and this is the big one.

The fastest way to shorten it

The applicants who finish quickly almost always have one thing in common: they showed up already understanding the ground material. Every hour you spend at altitude trying to grasp Vmc, the critical engine, or how feathering works is an expensive hour. Learn those concepts on the ground first, and your flight time is spent flying — not getting a lecture in a noisy cockpit. That’s the single most effective way to cut both your timeline and your cost.

A realistic plan

Study the aerodynamics, performance, and systems before you ever start dual. Walk into your first lesson able to explain the critical engine and blue line. Then use your flight hours to build proficiency and polish maneuvers. Do it in that order and the multi-engine rating is one of the faster, more enjoyable add-ons in aviation.

Get a head start: Download the free Multi-Engine Checkride Readiness Checklist, then learn the ground material before you fly with the DPE-built Multi-Engine Training Series — 14 video lessons designed to make your flight hours count, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.