Absolutely!
The simplest reason is a financial one for the potential employer - in that a candidate with 20 or so hours in a Baron / C310 or similar (ie a type, or similar type) to what they use in their business - will be as unlikely to need the amount of training (either type familiarisation or line training) as a candidate who has no exposure to those aircraft.
Further, the learning standard that can be gained from the "heavier" (ie faster / more powerful) twin will be higher, for the following reasons:
- the candidate will have better learnt to manage speed / profile (ie in transition from a "high speed" cruise / descent into the initial segment of an IAP - the smaller twins don't really need to consider this, but mismanagement of this is a common fault amongst new IR MEA pilots);
- better skills in managing engines (especially OEI). In a Partenavia, et al - following an engine failure, the management is relatively simple - flog the live engine at (near) max power just to keep the aircraft flying straight and level... Where's the learning in that? A Baron at training weights will fly all day on one engine provided that the engine is managed. Speed profile considerations (ie cruise at Vyse+10 kts), diversions and the enactment of OEI "escape" plans after take-off are all able to be properly trained in such an airplane. For example - a really good exercise to train with a student is a take-off into simulated minimums, suffer an EFATO, then fly out the pre-briefed OEI contingency (escape) plan, complete failure management process at a safe altitude / location and then either return to the aerodrome of departure or divert to the take-off alternate for an IAP recovery. All without restoring the "failed" engine! Can't do that in a Partenavia / Seminole...
Finally, the myth of cost...
Yes, the larger aircraft costs more per hour - but the overall cost of the entire rating is not that much different (if at all). Many providers put their Duchesses / Seminoles or Partenavias out for $600-700 per hour. Barons in a training organisation are usually about $100 / hour more than that. BUT, the transit time between locations in a nav will be less (meaning more time for approaches / scenarios of value, etc) and if trained properly (ie with an industry-experienced instructor and LOTS of sim before getting into the aircraft for the first time) - the candidate will be ready for test in the minimum number of hours. This means that the cost differential should be only about $1000-$2000 tops. However, I see that some providers (often the larger VET schools) offer the most expensive IR training (in the smaller aircraft) with one putting the IR in a Partenavia out to market for over $30,000...
By comparison, an IR done in a Baron should be about $22,500 without CR training (with the CR added, call it another $5,000).
My only caveat on this is that I think a pilot should not do a CR MEA or IR until after they have done some consolidation in the industry in VFR ops in something like a C210 / PA32. That is to allow them to gain some intuitive "aircraft sense", problem solving experience and will really enhance the benefit of the training they get at this level. Yep, that would be the "traditional" path...
I have a dog in this fight, so to speak - so my opinion is not unbiased - but I am so firm in my belief of the value of the above that I have bought two E55 Barons (ie the B55 airframe with the larger IO-520 engine as found on a B58) for my Company and we use these for initial CR training and IR. We have certainly had solid levels of success with hitting our client's budgetary targets and more importantly - employability expectations. Just one example is that a candidate we completed training with less than two months ago (with less than 1000 hrs total time) is now in his first ME job - flying a C441 Conquest, as single pilot. I lose no sleep over this as he has received good training in a good airplane. Our other recent clients have all "advanced" in their jobs, too. It really does matter what aircraft you train in, and where / who you train with!