This forum post from r/flying illustrates a common decision point for freelance flight instructors building toward professional pilot careers: selecting a flight school for the commercial multi-engine land (CMEL) rating. The poster, a CFI with roughly 800 hours total time, is evaluating Skyview Aviation—described as a relatively new operation—for multi-engine training this fall, citing proximity as a key advantage. The lack of established reviews or reputation data for the school reflects the fragmented nature of the flight training marketplace, where regional and independent providers frequently lack the track record of larger academies like ATP Flight School, CAE, or university-affiliated programs, making due diligence difficult for prospective students.
For working pilots and instructors, this scenario underscores a persistent friction point in the pilot pipeline: multi-engine training remains one of the more logistically complex ratings to obtain, given the limited availability of twin-engine aircraft, higher operating costs, and fewer schools willing to maintain a multi-engine fleet compared to single-engine trainers. CFIs building time toward airline or corporate flying often delay the CMEL until they have a clearer financial or scheduling runway, and the choice of provider matters significantly—inconsistent instruction quality, aircraft downtime, or an unproven syllabus can add unnecessary hours and cost to a rating that many pilots complete in an accelerated format (often 10-15 hours of multi time). Given that many regional and legacy carriers, along with corporate flight departments, still expect candidates to demonstrate solid multi-engine proficiency even in an era of reduced ATP hour requirements for restricted pathways, the quality of this training has downstream career implications.
The broader trend this post reflects is the continued reliance on peer networks and crowdsourced platforms—Reddit, PilotsofAmerica forums, and similar communities—for vetting flight schools, particularly newer or smaller operations that haven't yet built a digital reputation through FAA safety records, Part 141 certification history, or alumni outcomes. As the pilot shortage narrative has driven a proliferation of new training providers over the past several years, from mom-and-pop operations to VC-backed academies, prospective students increasingly face an information gap when evaluating unproven schools. This dynamic reinforces the value of established due-diligence steps: checking FAA Part 61/141 certificate status, verifying aircraft maintenance and insurance records, confirming instructor currency and experience levels, and where possible, speaking directly with recent graduates rather than relying solely on marketing materials or a school's newness as a convenience factor.