XC Question
 

Ok, I have no questions about the technicalities of logging XC time. It's more of a "would this look right?" question.

I'm currently holding a job with a aerial survey company. I fly about 6 hours everyday, "mowing the lawn." Thirteen miles one way, then 13 mile back... over and over. If I did a touch-and-go at another airport on my way back, or even if I were to stop at another airport to refuel, "technically" I could log all 6 hours as cross-country. But I feel a little guilty doing that. Seeing 6 hours of XC logged everyday for a few months, is that going to raise any eyebrows?

I don't know, I know it's allowed, but I still think it seems a little funny...

Or maybe my morals are just too high :D

are you planning on going for anymore ratings?

As far as ratings, just my ATP.

I've seen plenty of applications, though, that ask for XC time. That's my main reason for asking. I'm worried about showing up with a bunch of that time logged, and them saying "Six hours, are you retarded? That arpt's 30 miles away!"

I believe there's something in the FARs that says the other airport must be 50 miles away if I'm not mistaken(but I could be because I haven't needed to look at that for a while). If you log it as xc be prepared to explain how you got it down the road. Ask yourself if you feel your interviewer would buy it.

I called the Detroit FSDO about this becuase I had the same question. They told me, basically, if an airport, no matter where you landed all the times inbetween, is 50 nm from the orginal departure point, log it as XC. if I landed at every airport inbetween DTW and TPA, none being more than 50 NM apart, its still XC.

I believe the ATP allows for point to point trips as cross-country. For PPL and CPL, I believe it requires an intermediate destination that is at least 50 nm from your departure.

the only time the 50nm requirement exists is if you're applying it to a rating. You may want to start a second collumn for the flight from one airport to another. It would be perfectly legit to log it for 135/121 requirements.

The 50nm rule does not apply to the ATP rating. Hell, I've read that you don't even need to LAND for it to be logged at XC per ATP.

Legally, I know it can be logged. No doubt... any flight to another airport can be logged as XC, regardless of what rating you're going after. However, it'll only apply to certain ratings if its over 50nm. If I fly to an airport that's 7 miles away, I can log that as XC, and it's applicable towards the ATP rating, but not towards PPC. I guess my question is more towards morality. I just don't know if that would raise any eyebrows with a potential employer, logging 6 hours or so XC for an airport that's only 40 miles away... Obviously I didn't go straight there and back. I flew grid patterns for 5 hours and only landed there for fuel. Not exactly "cross-country" in my eyes. But technically, it's loggable. I just don't want to look like an idiot if I were to get called out on it.

The 50 NM rule certainly DOES apply to requirements for the ATP rating, and you certainly DO need to land in order for it to count. 61.1.b.3.vi.B.

Good catch on that. I have been logging all X-C since I got my commercial, and would have had quite a task looking over all of those flights to determine which ones were over 50 if I hadnt caught it early.. haha

Hmm... All this time I've been told / read that the 50nm didn't apply to the ATP, but apparantly it does. And honestly, I was a bit skeptical about the "don't have to land thing," I never even heard about that until yesterday when I read it online (hooray internet :rolleyes:). Thanks for pulling that up. Thankfully, I've got a seperate column in LogbookPro for 50nm+ XC time "just in case."

So my original question still applies. How is 6.5 hours of XC time to a airport 55nm away going to look to potential employers? Will they just accept it, or is it going to raise a red flag? Does anyone else have any experience with something like this?

mitragorz,

I think you are getting the two confused. To an employer it isn't going to look bad. Now the fact that its the same route day in and day out, I dunno. The company's XC requirement can count all point to point XC time. But the flights you are making are by definition able to be counted provided that you land at the other airport