The solo instrument Cross Country Flight

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rajsingh

New Member
I had a question regarding the at least 250 nm cross country flight performed under ifr rules during the instrument rating training. I haven't started the training because then I would've asked this question to my instructor, so instead I'm posting it here. 1)Can this flight be 500nm which will require at least one stop(possible two if strong headwinds come in) 2) If that's possible, does the first stop have to more than 250 nm away(either way, one leg will be more than 250, unless I make 2 stops. 3) Can the return flight be on a different day, possible couple of days later. 4) Does this flight have to be solo. Because I was planning on going to Indiana from New York, touring Indiana VFR the next day, and then flying back to New York under the IFR rules. Basically I want to make this (at least 250nm) cross country into 2 separate log book entries with another VFR entry in betwen while at Indiana.
 
I think you need to re-read the reg and ask again. There are too many confused concepts mixed in your question. (And yes, I realize that you haven't started the training, but you should be able to read the reg on the requirements).

Start with the title and think for a moment: you are a private pilot without an instrument rating. Don't you need an instrument rating in order to fly a solo cross country under IFR?

Here's the reg with the requirements. I did some bolding to help with the reading:

(iii) For an instrument -- airplane rating, instrument training on cross-country flight procedures specific to airplanes that includes at least one cross-country flight in an airplane that is performed under IFR, and consists of -
(A) A distance of at least 250 nautical miles along airways or ATC-directed routing;
(B) An instrument approach at each airport; and
(C) Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems;
Click to expand...

The 250 might be a little confusing, but all it means is that the total distance flown needs to be at least 250 NM, not that any leg or any particular landing point needs to be 250 NM away from any other. Beyond that, it still needs to qualify as a cross country for the rating under 61.1 - at least one landing point more than 50 nm away from the original point of departure.
 
Ok, so the flight is solo(although it doesn't say anywhere it has to be a solo), but isn't the flight under instrument rules. I mean is it IFR in VMC, or can it be IFR in IMC
 
rajsingh said:
Ok, so the flight is solo(although it doesn't say anywhere it has to be a solo), but isn't the flight under instrument rules. I mean is it IFR in VMC, or can it be IFR in IMC
Click to expand...

No, the flight is not solo. It is "flight training." That means dual instruction, which means a CFI-I will be aboard providing that instruction.

The flight must operate under Instrument Flight Rules. The weather (whether it is VMC or IMC) does not matter.
 
To add to the above post, it cannot be solo.

You are not instrument rated, therefor if you do take the long flight for fun(which must be conducted under VFR because you are not instrument rated) it will not count towards anything for the rating since it will be all VFR conditions (it will count towards total time and VFR cross country time).

The x-country req'd by the regs as was said above, must be dual which means you have your instructor on board.
 
The trip you have in mind would make an outstanding training opportunity.

Hire your instructor for a couple of days, fly out IFR doing approaches at a couple of stops along the way. Tour Indiana (why you'd want to is beside me, but go for it :)), under the hood with your instructor, then fly back home IFR again.

You'll meet the 250nm cross country requirement (it needs to be instrument dual, you can't go solo and please don't try, with three different types of approaches), bang out a bunch of the required hours for the rating and get some great real-world experience dealing with weather, flight planning, flying approaches into unfamiliar airports, dealing with ATC, etc..., all the stuff you'll be doing once you have your instrument rating.


rajsingh said:
I had a question regarding the at least 250 nm cross country flight performed under ifr rules during the instrument rating training. I haven't started the training because then I would've asked this question to my instructor, so instead I'm posting it here. 1)Can this flight be 500nm which will require at least one stop(possible two if strong headwinds come in) 2) If that's possible, does the first stop have to more than 250 nm away(either way, one leg will be more than 250, unless I make 2 stops. 3) Can the return flight be on a different day, possible couple of days later. 4) Does this flight have to be solo. Because I was planning on going to Indiana from New York, touring Indiana VFR the next day, and then flying back to New York under the IFR rules. Basically I want to make this (at least 250nm) cross country into 2 separate log book entries with another VFR entry in betwen while at Indiana.
Click to expand...
 
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