Hi all! New CFI/CFII here and working on building my time toward ATP mins... no dice on restricted mins here, but was curious on some input from other instructors on how they build/built the 500 Cross Country requirement. I love instructing and I enjoy the school that I am at. That said, how reasonable is it to expect 500 xc by the time I hit my 1500 if all I do is instruct?

Some background:
Most of our instructors are flying 80-120 hrs a month.
My current xc is 105
My current tt is 294 as of yesterday... (ya I know, I'm very new... 14hrs dual given)

 

Private Pilot :
Requires at leest 3 hrs dual XC day.
Most require more.
Dor the night requirements I used to do everything in one flight.
First leg at least 50NM then bunny hop your way back using couple more airports with landings at each.
All is now XC
So PPL - 6hrs

IR requires a long XC
Jeppesen syllabus has two short ones prior to the long XC.
A 50-60 mile there and back along airways with two approaches can easily be done in 2hrs.
So that’s 4 plus the long XC which is also almost 4 hrs.
So that’s 8 for an Instrument student.

Commercial student has the 2 hr day and the 2hr night which you can do in a there and back flight.
So that’s 4hrs.

You’re looking at about 50-60 students.

For a little bit more advanced work:
Never ever let the student pay for he flight they don’t need.
However, if you do an Instrument approach and the IAF is 50NM from your starting point you can log it XC.
Design a Flight review profile with a XC leg in it. Way too many FR’s never leave the pattern. Use the guidelines on the FAA website.
Design an IPC that involves flight on airways and an approach to a landing at an airport 50NM away.

Be the first one to volunteer to pick up a stranded student.
Be the first to volunteer if someone wants to go somewhere.

 

Remember, for ATP XC, you don't have to actually land, just fly 50 NM from the departure point.

Worth noting, for 135 XC, you have to land but don't have to go 50 NM.

 

This is awesome information. Thank you!

 

Be careful not to mix it up though.
Either split a column or use an empty column to differentiate between XC ( 50NM + landing) ATP ( 50NM + published waypoint) 135 ( landing Airport next door).

Anything else could get you a ding for making fraudulent entries.
Be creative but color in between the lines.

 

You can get a R-ATP with 1500 and 200xc.

 

This is great advice. Thank you. Yes, in no way would I want to take my students on worthless xc's to pad my own logbook... I'd venture to say 99% of my students won't care if I'm hitting my numbers But in the long run, I'm beginning to see I shouldn't worry too much... 50-60 students seems attainable where I'm at over the next year and a half/ two years.

 

Have your students double up. One flies while the other sits in the back. Fly somewhere (obviously >50nm) doing maneuvers along the way. Land, students switch, and fly back doing the same. My crew partner and I logged a ton of cross country time doing that at FlightSafety. Not only is it a great way for all of you to build time, it's a great way for them to learn, especially the one sitting in the back. To be able to observe the other make mistakes is incredibly useful.

 

True, however you’ll be hard pressed to find a 141 or even a 61 syllabus that will allow that.
A Chief Instructor worth his salt will keep on eye on this sort of “creative” flying.
Backseating, yes absolutely.
I used to know a CFI who would take his students to an airport 51NM away to practice landings. Don’t be that guy.
But if you instruct out of a towered Airport take them to a non towered Airport to practice patterns and landings without the additional stress.
Building blocks remember?
Nothing wrong with that and it’s 135XC time for you.

 

Great info shared in here. Thank you!