[Mark McConaughy]

You are correct that if you get a multi engine rating in an airplane that has a published VMC you get an unrestricted Multi-engine rating. If you take the instrument multi in a 337 I would check with the examiner who is going to administer the ride as to whether your multi engine instrument privileges would be limited to multi engine airplanes Center line thrust.

Military fighter pilots who obtain their licenses through Military Competency are often surprised to see the centerline thrust limitation on their certificate. The key is does the aircraft have a published VMC. Aircraft like the Cessna 337, T-2 T-37, F-4, F-14, F-15, and F-18 do not have published VMCs so the centerline thrust limitation applies

The whole purpose of the check in a multi engine airplane is to see if you can handle single engine emergencies in multi engine airplanes. The way the FAA guidance is written, I can see where an examiner could go either way. The reason I say check first is that once the certificate is issued with the centerline thrust restriction on it you will have a large degree of difficulty getting it changed. If that were to happen the most expeditors, way to correct would be to take the ride over in a conventional twin.

You are correct that when you log the time it is "multi engine" time for any multi engine aircraft. For the purpose of logging time the only consideration is how many engines does it have.