With regards to the simulated instrument time:

(g) Logging instrument flight time.
(1) A person may log instrument time only for that flight time when the person operates the aircraft solely by reference to instruments under actual or simulated instrument flight conditions.
(2) An authorized instructor may log instrument time when conducting instrument flight instruction in actual instrument flight conditions.
(3) For the purposes of logging instrument time to meet the recent instrument experience requirements of §61.57(c) of this part, the following information must be recorded in the person's logbook—
(i) The location and type of each instrument approach accomplished; and
(ii) The name of the safety pilot, if required.
(4) A flight simulator or approved flight training device may be used by a person to log instrument time, provided an authorized instructor is present during the simulated flight.

I think a good measure of how accurate your times are is to fill out an application on Airline Apps. They allow you one free application. Pay careful attention to exactly how they want you to break down your flight time. If I recall correctly they want times logged as PIC/Dual logged as dual only, and time as dual given as only that, not PIC among other things. If the broken down numbers match what's in your logbook total time if you add them the way they do then you are in good shape.

I put my decimals into the form as I came up with them in my math and let airline apps round them off. I think I ended up with 1 hour less in my airline apps then I had in my log book which was just fine with me. I went into all 3 of my airline interviews feeling very confident in my numbers and I was offered 3 jobs.

If you can say with a great, great deal of certainty that the numbers airline apps cooks up are good, you would be confident in applying to their member airlines.

There really is no need to include the Solo time in this equation. Solo = PIC regardless who you're applying to. If you're the only person in the aircraft than you are solely responsible for the safety of the flight.

Not true in the civilian world. Until you get a private pilot rating you are not yet rated in the aircraft to log PIC. Solo and PIC are the same as far as duties go but you must keep them separate.

Not true. You are PIC by virtue of being endorsed to solo and being the sole occupant....the solo endorsement on your student pilot license is equivalent to being rated in the aircraft for the operation being conducted.

Not that it matters much.

6000 posts. Color me impressed. I was happy to hit 500.

As far as the solo time I seem to remember that DAL wanted that separate. My logbook actually has a separate column for solo vs. PIC but that was back in 2000 so I could be wrong.

Thanks guys!

One more: I was taught that a cross country = a flight 50 NM or more (one way) that INCLUDES A LANDING

My new instructor claims that we can make any flight a cross country just by going 50 NM from the airport (didn't mention anything about landing there)

What do you guys think ?

I remember you had to perform a landing. That was 20 years ago though so maybe some CFIs could chime in on this one.

Correct... for the X/C time for a certificate or rating, the X/C must include a landing at a point more than 50nm from the departure point. I believe there is a rule that allows certain non-landing flights to count for an ATP certificate, but I'm not familiar with that reg. I think someone made reference to it earlier in this thread.

It depends. If you're logging the time toward a PPL, Instrument Rating, or Commercial Certificate then you need a landing at a point 50 NM straight line distance from the departure airport. If not, then you need only land "at a point other than the point of departure". For cross-country time toward an ATP Certificate the flight must be 50 NM straight line distance but no landing is required. I personally only log cross-country time if I shoot approaches or land at another airport. We fly over 50 NM straight line distance to the MOA and back all the time but I don't log that as cross-country time even though it would be legal to since I'm using the time toward my ATP.

(3) Cross-country time means—
(i) Except as provided in paragraphs (b)(3)(ii) through (b)(3)(vi) of this section, time acquired during flight—
(A) Conducted by a person who holds a pilot certificate;
(B) Conducted in an aircraft;
(C) That includes a landing at a point other than the point of departure; and
(D) That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems to navigate to the landing point.
(ii) For the purpose of meeting the aeronautical experience requirements (except for a rotorcraft category rating), for a private pilot certificate (except for a powered parachute category rating), a commercial pilot certificate, or an instrument rating, or for the purpose of exercising recreational pilot privileges (except in a rotorcraft) under §61.101 (c), time acquired during a flight—
(A) Conducted in an appropriate aircraft;
(B) That includes a point of landing that was at least a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
(C) That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems to navigate to the landing point.
(iii) For the purpose of meeting the aeronautical experience requirements for a sport pilot certificate (except for powered parachute privileges), time acquired during a flight conducted in an appropriate aircraft that—
(A) Includes a point of landing at least a straight line distance of more than 25 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
(B) Involves, as applicable, the use of dead reckoning; pilotage; electronic navigation aids; radio aids; or other navigation systems to navigate to the landing point.
(iv) For the purpose of meeting the aeronautical experience requirements for a sport pilot certificate with powered parachute privileges or a private pilot certificate with a powered parachute category rating, time acquired during a flight conducted in an appropriate aircraft that—
(A) Includes a point of landing at least a straight line distance of more than 15 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
(B) Involves, as applicable, the use of dead reckoning; pilotage; electronic navigation aids; radio aids; or other navigation systems to navigate to the landing point.
(v) For the purpose of meeting the aeronautical experience requirements for any pilot certificate with a rotorcraft category rating or an instrument-helicopter rating, or for the purpose of exercising recreational pilot privileges, in a rotorcraft, under §61.101(c), time acquired during a flight—
(A) Conducted in an appropriate aircraft;
(B) That includes a point of landing that was at least a straight-line distance of more than 25 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
(C) That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems to navigate to the landing point.
(vi) For the purpose of meeting the aeronautical experience requirements for an airline transport pilot certificate (except with a rotorcraft category rating), time acquired during a flight—
(A) Conducted in an appropriate aircraft;
(B) That is at least a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
(C) That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems.
(vii) For a military pilot who qualifies for a commercial pilot certificate (except with a rotorcraft category rating) under §61.73 of this part, time acquired during a flight—
(A) Conducted in an appropriate aircraft;
(B) That is at least a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
(C) That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems.