Commercial X/C

N519AT

N519AT

Ahh! This is how I change this!
My friend asked me a question about the commercial solo x/c and I don't really have an answer for him. Wondering if you guys could help?

This is the requirement for the commercial solo cross country:

d. 10 hr. of solo flight in a single-engine airplane training in the areas of operation required for a single-engine rating, which includes at least:

1. One cross-country flight of not less than 300 NM total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 NM from the original departure point
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His routing was 17G-TOL-MFD-TOL-USE-TVC-17G. This was all done on the same day.

Now, the TOL-MFD-TOL legs had 1 passenger on board. His friend came in town from Alaska and wanted to get a $100 hamburger. Is this still legal and acceptable for the requirements of commercial because he had a passenger on board for those legs?
 
In order to qualify as solo you must be the sole occupant of the aircraft.

Reference: 61.51(d) Logging of solo flight time. "...a pilot may log as solo flight time only that flight time when the pilot is the sole occupant of the aircraft."

That being said, his route does not qualify as it starts after he drops his passenger off and departs Toledo. The furthest point on his route from Toledo is Traverse City Michigan which is only 204nm from his original point of departure (straight line distance). This does not meet the 250nm requirement.
 
N519AT said:
His routing was 17G-TOL-MFD-TOL-USE-TVC-17G. This was all done on the same day.
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There is nothing in the requirement that says you must return to the original point of departure. That being said, if you start the flight at TOL and go USE, TVC, 17G and find that that meets the 300 total with one leg over 250, you have your 3 points and your flight completed. If those last 4 w/o the pax don't meet the 300 and 250 straight leg requirements (from TOL straight line as that would be your OPD) than it doesn't count.

My flight for this requirement for multi commercial was Dulles AFB - Bradley (I think) - Manchester - Nashua. It was a crew flight where my crew partner flew us down there and we accomplished it based on the "acting PIC," since it was a multi. It just turns out you will typically return to your starting point, but that is not a must.
 
N519AT said:
Is this still legal and acceptable for the requirements of commercial because he had a passenger on board for those legs?
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Solo means Solo- no pax allowed

>250 means >250 204<250

That'd be a no on both counts
 
I dont understand the sole occupant part of that requirement. Why does it matter if you have a passenger?
 
Ultimately, it matters because the FAA says it matters. That may not be a good reason, but it's the only reason that counts
 
Matt13C said:
I dont understand the sole occupant part of that requirement. Why does it matter if you have a passenger?
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Sole Occupant = "SOLO"

More than one occupant does not = Solo. Therefore, by definition, it was not a solo flight and therefore won't count towards the requirement.
 
So, it has to be one continuous flight...my friend can't "drop" the solo part and pick it back up again?
 
Stomp16 said:
Sole Occupant = "SOLO"

More than one occupant does not = Solo. Therefore, by definition, it was not a solo flight and therefore won't count towards the requirement.
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Thanks, I understand what SOLO means. I was saying I think it is a pointless requirement. I can not think of any reason why you need to be solo when the rest of your XC time, PPL aside, can be done with a passenger.
 
Yea doesnt seem to fit. Mine was 3g4-kvys-igq-05c. It about 400 miles total. Plus a good 235nm back home. It was a fun trip. Did it all in one day in my cherokee.
 
So how do the guys at ATP get away with it with those cross countrys where there are two students placed together for the trips?
 
tprops4me said:
So how do the guys at ATP get away with it with those cross countrys where there are two students placed together for the trips?
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Probably the same way they get away with CFI's doing their checkrides in fixed gear airplanes :D
 
tprops4me said:
So how do the guys at ATP get away with it with those cross countrys where there are two students placed together for the trips?
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They make sure you have the solo time before you start their instrument/commercial program. It doesn't matter when you did that solo time in your training, it just needs to be done. Is this the traditional or best way to do this? Probably not. But they are not "getting away" with anything. In this case anyway....
 
So if he didn't log the legs with the pax (which he doesn't have to do) then it meets the requirement? What if he flew back to TOL? The regs don't say how much time can elapse during the fulfillment of the requirements.
 
Nihon_Ni said:
So if he didn't log the legs with the pax (which he doesn't have to do) then it meets the requirement? What if he flew back to TOL? The regs don't say how much time can elapse during the fulfillment of the requirements.
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What if he just said he had about 1500 hours of heavy jet time...and just did an ATP ride right after his commercial?

If you're going to fib, might as well fib big.

-mini
 
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