Cross-Country Definition (USA)

FAR 61.1(b)(3)(ii)(B), for the purpose of meeting aeronautical experience
requirements, "that includes a point of landing that was at least a
straight line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original
point of departure."

Another section of the FARs pt 61 tell you that a student pilot is "cross
country" if more than 25nm from his home airport, but that does not count as
x-c time, he just needs "special permission" to be more than 25nm away.

So, 50nm is the rule, you can log x-c if you take off and land 5nm away...
but you can't "count" it to meet a requirement towards additional ratings
unless the landing is more than 50nm away.. and that means a landing, can't
just circle the point (airport or flag pole) and return without landing. It
will not count for meeting rating qualification requirements.

BT

"soarski" wrote in message
om...
"Michael Stringfellow" wrote in message
news:kQuUb.15985$EW.8868@okepread02...
In filling out my FAA form for my USA pilot's certificate, I note that
they
have spaces for not only total hours and number of flights but also
cross-country flight time. The only problem is that the Federal
Aviation
Regulations (FARs) do not appear to define cross-country flying as it
applies to gliders. Local FAA gurus were unable to offer any other
definition than the one applicable to airplanes, which requires a
landing at
a remote airfield.

Can any other US pilots throw light on this?

It might also be interesting to hear from Europeans what their official
definitions are.

Mike

ASW 20 WA

If you read the FARs, under aeronautical experience, for powered
flight, you will see some requirements for, I am looking it up for you
right now: 3 hrs of cros country flight training in a sgl engine
aircraft.;3 hrs of nightflight training in airplanes including one of
over 100 miles distance.....There they are spelling it out for you
Fly 100nm. Then they want 5 hrs solo X-Country, of wich one flight has
to be at least 150 mi long etc. The FAA did not always specify.....to
be done in an sgl engine airplane, 20 years ago you could count your
Glider X-Country towards your power license. If it was long enough!
Still, the FAA specifies the above and a couple of other hrs to be
flown in an airplane , which means, that about 25 hrs of glider time
can be applied towards the needed time of still only 40 hrs for the
private license airplane.

Read FAR 61.109 my book is the 2001 issue! Not sure whether I
answered your question. How does the FAA define X-Country different
between gliders and airplanes??

Dieter Bellanca Viking