I am doing ATPL's course at the moment and squeezing in my hour building at the same time.
I have been looking through the minimum requirements before being allowed to start the MEIR/CPL course (to make sure I meet them!).
The CAA website states;
"
Flying experience
You must also have completed at least
50 hours of cross country flight time as Pilot in Command (PIC) in aeroplanes, TMGs, helicopters or airships of which at least 10 hours shall be in aeroplanes."
Could someone help clarify what the proper definition is of a "
cross country flight"?
I asked within my flying club, which I got varied answers. I have googled and as expected, loads of different opinions. I found a couple of posts on here were folk stated it was either;
- take off at airfield A and land at airfield B, to other folk saying
- as long as you are not flying within the circuit pattern, have pre-planned a route, you fly the route and thereafter return to the same airfield.
I know that part of the hour building, I must complete a 300NM flight with two full stop landings at two different airfields.
I might answer my own question here, but on checking the CAA website under CPL requirements, it states (I have only copied part of this);
"CPL(A) modular experience requirements which must be met before the CPL skills test.
This must include the following:
Pilot in Command (PIC)
100 hours as PIC, of which 20 hours of cross-country flight as PIC, which shall include a VFR cross-country flight of at least 540km (300 NM), in the course of which full stop landings at two aerodromes different from the aerodrome of departure must be made.
Night
5 hours of flight time must be completed at night, comprising 3 hours of dual instruction which
must include at least 1 hour of cross-country navigation and 5 solo take-offs and 5 solo full stop landings."
When I completed my night rating, my so called cross country was take off and landing at the same airfield, but I was required to pre-plan my route and stick to that route.
So, am I right in saying there is no requirement to fly to different airfields all the time to gain 50 hours cross country?
Sorry for the long post for could be most likely a simple answer.