A prospective commercial multi-engine pilot posting to the r/flying community is seeking type-specific guidance ahead of a CMEL (Commercial Multi-Engine Land) add-on checkride in a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche. The request is narrow and practical: common DPE oral-exam questions, systems quirks unique to the airframe, and which emergency procedures examiners tend to emphasize during the practical test. While the post itself is a crowdsourced study-aid request rather than a news item, it highlights an enduring reality in general aviation flight training — that legacy piston twins like the Twin Comanche remain in active use for multi-engine certification despite being decades removed from production, and that pilots preparing for checkrides in these airframes often rely on informal knowledge-sharing networks rather than standardized modern training materials.
The PA-30 Twin Comanche is a well-regarded but demanding trainer for multi-engine add-ons. Its performance characteristics — a relatively narrow VMC margin, manual (non-counter-rotating) propellers, a fuel system with multiple tanks requiring careful management, and a airframe that predates many modern safety enhancements — make it a favorite among flight schools and DPEs who want to see genuine engine-out proficiency rather than a docile, forgiving multi-engine trainer. Pilots training in the Twin Comanche typically need sharp command of single-engine performance numbers, accurate identification of critical engine considerations, and disciplined checklist flow, since the airplane offers less margin for error than more modern twins like the Seminole or Duchess commonly used in Part 141 programs. DPEs administering CMEL checkrides in this airframe are known for probing systems knowledge deeply — fuel selectors and crossfeed operation, landing gear system limitations, and the airplane's known engine-out handling characteristics — precisely because the aircraft's older design rewards pilots who understand it thoroughly rather than those who have simply memorized checklists.
For working and aspiring professional pilots, this kind of thread underscores a broader pattern in multi-engine training: much of the practical, airframe-specific knowledge that determines checkride success is passed peer-to-peer rather than codified in official training curricula. This matters because the FAA's ACS standards are airframe-agnostic, leaving significant latitude for DPEs to tailor oral and flight portions to the specific quirks of whatever aircraft a candidate presents. Pilots transitioning into multi-engine flying — whether for regional airline pathways, corporate flying, or simply building toward a career — benefit from understanding that checkride preparation in legacy aircraft requires more than ACS study; it requires airframe-specific systems mastery, often obtained through type clubs, forums, and informal mentor networks rather than formal ground school.
More broadly, the continued use of aircraft like the Twin Comanche for commercial multi-engine training reflects the general aviation training fleet's aging profile and the economic realities facing flight schools. With new multi-engine trainers costly to acquire and maintain, and with parts and maintenance expertise for out-of-production twins increasingly specialized, schools and independent instructors continue to lean on legacy airframes that offer robust flight characteristics at lower acquisition and operating cost. This trend has implications for training standardization industry-wide: as fewer instructors and DPEs have deep experience with specific legacy types, informal knowledge repositories — such as Reddit threads, type-club forums, and personal gouge documents — become an increasingly important, if unofficial, layer of the multi-engine training ecosystem that regulators and flight schools alike may need to address as the training fleet continues to age.