Another CSEL Long X-Country Question

[Mooney Fan]

I have started my CSEL prep by looking back on my logs to document which requirements (FAR 61.129) I have completed. I need to knock out my DUAL Day/Night VFR X-Country flights plus my SOLO Night (5) hour and (10) landings at a controlled field. I have the instrument and complex time required.

The Long SOLO VFR cross country with 300nm total distance with one leg straight-line distance of 250nm from departure point. Question, does the long cross country have to be a continuos flight? For instance, my OSH trip. Departed on a Monday from M21 direct KBMI (212nm). Overnighted, departed BMI direct OSH (211nm) stayed three nights. Departed OSH back to M21 (410nm).

Does that meet the long SOLO VFR cross country requirement?

Thanks

 

[Jim_CAK]

It sure sounds like it to me provided you were sole occupant. I have have not read anything that you could not stop - only that you needed landings at 3 points and > 250 mi from your original point of departure.

 

[flyingron]

The FAA is very generous in allowing you to define a "flight." Yes, there can be any amount of time during the stops. And except when the reg (like this one) requires a certain leg length/number of stops, you can compose it out of any number of "legs."

 

[Mooney Fan]

If no one was in the plane with you, then it counts. If you're concerned that it was spread over several days, there's nothing in the regs that says you can't.

It sure sounds like it to me provided you were sole occupant. I have have not read anything that you could not stop - only that you needed landings at 3 points and > 250 mi from your original point of departure.

Thanks, yes I was solo to OSH 18. Now this straight line distance thing. When obtaining my complex endorsement we flew DUAL- SZP- AVX (65nm) then AVX-SBA (96nm) back to SZP (39nm). Logged 2.4 hours. Does that constitute a straight line distance required to meet the short DUAL Cross country requirement or would the AVX-SBA leg need to have been 100 miles? I overthink crap to the max

 

[Mooney Fan]

Nope, doesn't count. Yes, it needed to be >=100 NM. You'll sort this out with a CFI who signs you off for the checkride.

Thanks. I have a checklist making sure I knock out everything I can prior. Knowing where in my logbooks I can point out requirements met. Appreciate everyone’s feedback

 

[Jim_CAK]

Thanks. I have a checklist making sure I knock out everything I can prior. Knowing where in my logbooks I can point out requirements met. Appreciate everyone’s feedback

The checklist is a good idea. I printed out a copy of 61.129 and I am using it for my checklist. Good luck with your training.

 

[iamtheari]

The one caveat I can think of is to be prepared to explain to the examiner why that flight was one flight. I personally would log it as separate flights but there is no hard and fast rule on when you neeed to start a new entry in the logbook. As long as you can explain it, you should be fine. If you have any doubts, go take a trip somewhere else that leaves no room for doubt.

 

[Mooney Fan]

The one caveat I can think of is to be prepared to explain to the examiner why that flight was one flight. I personally would log it as separate flights but there is no hard and fast rule on when you neeed to start a new entry in the logbook. As long as you can explain it, you should be fine. If you have any doubts, go take a trip somewhere else that leaves no room for doubt.

The DE reviews the logbooks ensuring compliance? I thought he deferred to the CFI who signed off that the applicant was ready for the check ride

 

[iamtheari]

The DE reviews the logbooks ensuring compliance? I thought he deferred to the CFI who signed off that the applicant was ready for the check ride

He can. My private pilot DPE noticed a missing requirement that my CFI and I had forgotten about, so it’s entirely possible for the examiner to cross-check your CFI’s math. I figure that literally every question is fair game at the commercial pilot and CFI oral exams. “What must you log before you can fly passengers for hire?” Or “How long were you at Oshkosh this summer, and how did you decide to log a three-day camping trip as a single flight?” I think that the key is being able to explain it. Just like you should be able to explain your flight planning decisions, you should be able to explain your logging decisions. I don’t see a problem with this one, as long as you go into the oral exam ready to talk about it.

 

[Mooney Fan]

And I can. Without being flipped I fail to find in FAR 61.129 a requirement that the flight be one continuous flight. Only that it be solo while meeting the required distance from the starting point. Further, I don’t see the value in the premise the flight should be one without delay. The intent of the requirement is to show you can complete all the aviation task. Layover notwithstanding

 

[James331]

Always found it crazy people built all these hours and never really went anywhere

 

[iamtheari]

Always found it crazy people built all these hours and never really went anywhere

Oshkosh counts as going somewhere.

The commercial requirement is a nuisance because it’s solo and requires more stops than most of us need. I’ve flown a lot farther than that to more interesting places, but the only times I’ve accidentally met the requirement were when I landed a bunch of times to get stamps from the airports and win my free jacket, and when I ferried a Champ home that needed a lot of fuel stops.