Originally Posted by
JetDoc
Not disregarding at all and you make a valid point for that is very valuable experience. The stupidity of it all is that I can get the additional needed time flying 51 mile legs, not crossing any weather systems, (with out stopping, yes I knew this thanks Da Magic) to meet the requirement. How that makes me some how "more qualified" is beyond me. If I can pass the written, which I already have and pass the check ride which at this time I can't take because of the asinine 500 hour rule, Issue the damn certificate, I flew to the PTS. This stuff really isn't that hard...And in reality all this ATP crap will do is push people who otherwise would be excellent pilots into other fields because of the additional investment of time and money for a job that's gonna pay you $23,00.00 your first year.....D
By reading the above and your position about needing more XC time to find an airport in airplane using an FMS tells me you think fundamental flying skills are useless or a joke. People who give me that attitude show me they aren't really maximizing or leveraging the flight time they are getting presently. I'm sure you'll shoot me an angry retort denying all of that, so you can just save your time now. Also, do you think the FMS/GPS is always going to work? This period of your flying career is about building a *solid foundation.*
Fifty miles is just the law...the law has cutoffs. Like the other poster said about going really far, yes that is more valuable. However, if you are going fifty miles and presumably coming back, there are still skills and experience built beyond just hanging around the practice area. If going fifty miles is so hard, be glad the law isn't more restrictive than that.