Logging X-Country
 

In the x-country section of your log book do you only log flights beyond 50nm? I'm a commercial pilot and the next hurdle to cross would be part 135 mins. Which, as I understand it, x-country is any flight to another airport. So which do you log? Do I log it all as xc and just put an asterisk next to flights beyond 50nm?

Thanks,

TB

If you're logging for 135 minimums, perhaps use an empty collumn and label it "135 x-c". That way you're differentiating between x-c for aeronautical experience pertaining to a rating and the part 135 mins.

Well,

As far as I can tell, and I guess I would have to go through the FARs w/ a fine-tooth comb. I currently hold all the certificates/ratings in which the 50nm rule would matter. I looked through the FARs concerning the certification of flight instructors (most likely my next rating) and I couldn’t find anything concerning a minimum of xc time. Now, the only hurdle I need to jump time wise would be that for 135/121 PIC eligibility. So, if I understand my situation correctly, I could, for all practical purposes, go back in my log book, find every flight that is to an airport other than the original point of departure and mark all those times in the xc section. And this should hold true for all pilots once they earn their commercial…no more 50nm concerns correct?

I don't remember/haven't looked at ATP stuff but yeah, as long as you don't need the 50nm rule for the ATP you're right.

I logged a ton of x-c time as an instructor. Had I continued doing so I would have met the x-c rules by the time I had 135 mins.

If you always mark when you flew to another airport, you already have the info. Check the ATP requirement though. You have to have a lot of time for that. If its not required, I guess its up to you, but be prepared to explain your reasoning with solid proof if a company asks.

you dont even have have to LAND at another airport for your ATP. Just go 50NM from point of departure.

Now my question is, and I have heard several differnt answers, how about landing at 3-4 airports. One being 50 nm from departure, and the other not being. FOr instance, I fly from one, go 50 NM, and hitanother 25 NM apart from the others. Is ALL of it X-C? I'd say not, but some say yes.

The FAA says yes.

really? I have heard a couple differnt people say they HAVE talked to the FAA and got differnt answers. Tell me how you COULD log it?

Yeah, there have been different answers on this.

It should normally be reasonable to fly:

A-B (> 50NM)
B-C (< 50 NM)
C-A (< 50 NM)

And call it all cross-country.

The question is when does the stop at B or C "interupt" the original flight disqualifying you from further XC logging?

A touch and go is obviously not an interuption, and neither is a full-stop/taxi-back. My assumption is that a full stop/shutdown would not count as an interuption if it was a fuel, restroom, or lunch stop. An overnight stop in my mind would cause leg C-A to get logged on the following date, and being < 50 NM would not count as XC.

I think the exact phraseology the FAA uses is 50NM from original point of departure. Correct me if I'm wrong though.