Commercial Solo Cross Country Done

[Sinistar]

Okay, I'm not actually studying or working on my commercial right now but I thought it would be nice to knock this one off the list. Last fall I realized right after finishing a 2 day trip that I just missed it by like 30nm...sucked. So yesterday was the day. Now watch I probably botched this one too LOL!!!

Leg # 1: 283nm from my departure point, full stop landing
Leg # 2: 75nm full stop, fueled up, borrowed the crew car and visited a friend in the hospital
Leg # 3: 235nm full stop back at home.

Flew it solo. Did more than 250nm from the point of departure, over 300nm total and landings at 3 locations. The thought of bringing a instructor never crossed my mind, doesn't it defeat the entire purpose?

Recently a friend went into the hospital and rehab after a stroke. I saw a big HP parked over MN and part of ND so time visit a friend and knock this one out. Some highlights:

• I ran into some crazy headwinds and it was sloooow (my worst headwinds yet).
• About 20 minutes over a scattered layer but always had a way down and stations 40nm ahead reporting clear about 12K.
  
• Longest flight for me so far (3.8hrs for first two legs. I can do it but nature was calling)
• Flew over the flooded Fargo area (wow!).
• Flew over my Grandpa's farm.
• First time into a MOA (entry into Restricted Area was denied)
• Flew around a Air Force TFR
• First time into UND (wow....busy!!!)
• Flew over my folks lake cabin
  
• Trip back was 180mph ground speed so Grand Forks -> Twin Cities was fast.
• Worked a lot on trying to hold altitude and course really accurate along with instrument scan. One day I need get this instrument rating started.

 

[champ driver]

Yes it's supposed to be flown solo.
Sounds like lots of fun, I remember those days.
If I remember right, mine was from ANE to Escanaba MI in the UP, and some stops on the way back. I don't remember where exactly, but it was a Cessna 152.

 

[iamtheari]

It sounds like you got it done. Good work. I struggled with this solo cross-country requirement because I don't stop often enough. I learned a lot on my 600nm solo cross-country in unfamiliar territory and high density altitudes in August 2016, but I only stopped once for fuel so it didn't count. I eventually met the requirement accidentally by flying shorter trips with more stops.

 

[Hank S]

Yep, no need for a special "trip to nowhere," just make an extra stop.

If I ever go Commercial, I can't use my vacation trip (1320 nm each way, spending two nights enroute for sightseeing) because my wife was with me.

But I did do Hurricane Relief after Florence in NC: 400 nm up to RDU; two sub-100 nm trips out from there, then home again (5 legs, logged 9+hours). That's actually a reasonable approximation of a commercial pilot's day.

 

[Cici]

I did mine in a 152 at night. I logged over 8 hours. I always find weird the solo part, but i get that there are pilots that always cruise within 100 mi of their home airport and wouldn't venture that far without some mentorship or instruction from another pilot/CFI. I just got done with a 2500nm trip with the family (none are pilots), so none of the xc counts as the long xc. Of course, i learned more on that trip than i ever did on a marathon 8 hr VFR out and back in a 152. Now i just need that 100nm xc training (day and night) with a cfi....