A student pilot flies solo from Airport A to Airport B, landing at a point 40 nautical miles (straight-line distance) from Airport A. The student wants to log this flight time as cross-country time toward the aeronautical experience requirements for a private pilot certificate. According to 14 CFR 61.1, may this time be logged as qualifying cross-country time?
- AYes, provided the student used pilotage or dead reckoning during the flight
- BNo, because a student pilot solo cross-country flight must be at least 100 nautical miles to qualify
- CYes, because the flight meets the 50 nautical mile straight-line distance requirement
- DNo, because the landing point must be more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure to count toward the private pilot aeronautical experience requirement
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. No, because the landing point must be more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure to count toward the private pilot aeronautical experience requirement
Under 14 CFR 61.1(b)(3)(ii), for the purpose of meeting private pilot (and commercial pilot/instrument rating) aeronautical experience requirements, cross-country time must include a landing at a point that is a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure. A 40 NM landing does not meet this threshold, even though it may satisfy the general definition of cross-country time used for other logging purposes.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Incorrect — using navigation is necessary but not sufficient; the distance requirement must also be met.
- B. Incorrect — 100 NM is not the standard; the correct threshold for this purpose is more than 50 NM.
- C. Incorrect — 40 NM is less than the required 'more than 50 NM' threshold.
Cross-Country Time Definitions (61.1(b)(3))
The FAA defines cross-country time differently depending on its purpose; for private pilot, commercial pilot, and instrument rating aeronautical experience, a landing must be more than 50 NM straight-line from the departure point.
- General logging definition: any landing away from departure using navigation
- Private/Commercial/Instrument experience: landing >50 NM straight-line required
- ATP (fixed-wing) experience: landing >50 NM straight-line required
- ATP with rotorcraft rating: landing >25 NM straight-line required
Memory trick: "Fifty for the Fixed-Wing Five" — private, commercial, instrument, and ATP fixed-wing all need >50 NM.