7 Mistakes You’re Making with Multi-Engine Time Building (and How to Fix Them)

Welcome back to Multi-Engine Mastery Week here at Ace Pilot Academy. It is Wednesday, March 18, 2026, and we are right in the thick of our intensive look at everything twin-engine.

Earlier this week, we dove into V-Speeds and mastered the quirks of the PA-30 Twin Comanche. Tomorrow, we’ll tackle whether accelerated training is the right path for you. But today, we’re talking about the "bridge": that period where you’re building the multi-engine time necessary to reach the airlines or your next big career milestone.

Building multi-engine time isn't just about boring holes in the sky until the Hobbs meter hits a magic number. If you treat it that way, you’re likely making critical errors that could haunt you during a checkride or, worse, an airline interview.

Here are the seven most common mistakes pilots make during multi-engine time building and, more importantly, how to fix them.

1. The "Wing-It" Approach to Emergency Drills

The biggest mistake pilots make is treating time building as "leisure time." They stop practicing the high-stakes maneuvers they learned during their initial rating. When an engine fails, "survival instinct" is a poor substitute for a disciplined, practiced drill.

The Fix: Memorize and Standardize Don't wait until you're in the cockpit to remember your flows. You should be able to recite your engine failure memory items in your sleep.

• Identify: Dead foot, dead engine.

• Verify: Retard the throttle of the suspected engine.

• Feather: Secure the propeller before it becomes a massive airbrake.

Practice these systematically until they are automatic. If you’re looking to sharpen these skills, our Multi-Engine Training Series offers a deep dive into standardizing these flows.

2. Poor Asymmetric Flight Control (The "Lazy Foot" Syndrome)

In a single-engine plane, uncoordinated flight is a drag. In a multi-engine plane with an engine out, uncoordinated flight is a performance killer. Many pilots build time while allowing the ball to slide out of the center, failing to maintain the "zero side-slip" condition.

The Fix: Master the Ball and the Bank To achieve maximum performance when an engine is inoperative, you need a combination of rudder and bank (usually 2-3 degrees toward the operative engine).

• Keep the ball halfway out of the race toward the good engine.

• Constantly scan your inclinometer.

• If you aren't using your feet, you aren't flying the plane; you're just a passenger.

3. Misidentifying the Failed Engine

It sounds impossible until it happens to you. Under the stress of a sudden yaw, pilots frequently misidentify which engine has quit. Feathering the wrong engine turns a manageable emergency into a dual-engine glider exercise.

The Fix: The "Dead Foot, Dead Engine" Rule This is the golden rule of multi-engine flying. If your left foot is doing nothing (it's "dead"), the left engine is likely the one that failed.

• Verify before you act: Always retard the throttle of the engine you think failed before touching the prop lever.

• If the plane doesn't react further, you've identified correctly.

• Check out our course on the ME Critical Engine to understand why the loss of one engine is often more destabilizing than the other.

4. Sloppy Speed Management

Multi-engine aircraft live and die by their V-speeds. During time building, many pilots become lax, letting their airspeed wander during climbs or approaches. In a twin, "close enough" isn't good enough: especially when you’re operating near Vmc.

The Fix: Focus on the "Blue Line" Vyse (Best Rate of Climb Single-Engine) is your lifeline.

• Maintain Vyse with surgical precision.

• Understand that as weight and density altitude change, your performance margins shrink.

• Treat every takeoff and landing as a checkride. Precise speed control is the hallmark of a professional aviator.

5. Rough Configuration Changes

Jerky movements with flaps, gear, or power settings create massive trim changes and stability issues. In a twin, especially during an engine-out scenario, a sudden configuration change can lead to a loss of control if not managed smoothly.

The Fix: Smooth and Deliberate Transitions Every input should be intentional.

• When retracting gear or flaps, anticipate the pitch change.

• Smoothly transition through power changes to avoid sudden yaw excursions.

• Practice "touch drills" on the ground to ensure your hand goes to the right lever every time without looking.

6. The "Double Engine" Ego Trip

Perhaps the most dangerous mistake is a false sense of security. Pilots often think, "I have two engines; I’m twice as safe." This leads them to fly into weather or over terrain they wouldn't dream of in a Cessna 172.

The Fix: Respect the 80% Performance Loss When you lose one engine on a light twin, you don’t lose 50% of your performance: you lose closer to 80-90%.

• The remaining engine must now overcome the drag of the dead engine and the windmilling prop while keeping a heavy airframe aloft.

• On a hot day at high density altitude, a light twin may not be able to maintain altitude at all on one engine.

• Study your Weight and Balance and performance charts religiously. Never fly into a situation where a single-engine failure becomes a guaranteed accident.

7. The Paperwork Trap: Improper Time Logging

For career-focused pilots, this is the mistake that costs jobs. Logging multi-engine time incorrectly: specifically regarding Safety Pilot time or Second-in-Command (SIC) time: is a red flag for airline recruiters.

The Fix: Know the FAA Regulations (Part 61.51) Logging time isn't just about what's in the Hobbs meter; it's about what the FAA allows.

• SIC Time: You cannot log SIC time in a PA-30 or a Beechcraft Baron unless the aircraft's type certificate requires two pilots (which they don't).

• Safety Pilot Time: If you are acting as a safety pilot for someone under the hood, you can log PIC time only while they are under the hood, provided you are the acting PIC.

• Cost Sharing: Ensure you are following pro-rata share rules.

• Always keep meticulous notes in your logbook about who was the "sole manipulator" and who was the "acting PIC."

First Things First: Set a Goal for Every Flight

Don't just fly to the next airport for a $100 hamburger. Every hour you spend building multi-engine time should have a specific training objective. One day, focus on Ground Effect during landings. The next, focus on steep turns or engine-out tracking to a waypoint.

Why Career Aviators Choose Ace Pilot Academy

At Ace Pilot Academy, we don't just teach you how to pass a checkride; we prepare you for a career. Our Multi-Engine Training Series is designed to iron out these mistakes before they become habits. Whether you're working on your Commercial Multi-Engine Add-On or just looking to sharpen your skills, we provide the instructional depth you need.

Short Field Landing? No Problem.

A common challenge in heavier twins is managing the energy on short field approaches. If you're struggling with the physics of it, check out our modules on Forces Acting on an Aircraft and Va (Maneuvering Speed). Understanding the "why" behind the maneuver makes the "how" much easier.

Wrapping Up

Building multi-engine time is a significant investment in your future. Don't waste that investment by being a "lazy" pilot. Stay sharp, stay coordinated, and keep your logbooks pristine.

Check back tomorrow as we continue Multi-Engine Mastery Week with a deep dive into accelerated flight training. Is it the fast track to the airlines, or a recipe for burnout? We’ll give you the facts.

Ready to take the next step in your training? Explore our full course catalog and let's get you in the cockpit.

Fly safe, keep the blue side up, and we'll see you in the skies.

( The Ace Pilot Academy Team)