what does 'cross country' actually mean?
 

Hi everyone, i am off to Canada in a couple of days to do some hours building prior to CPL training later next year....I'll give some feedback on prices, facilities etc on my return.

Can someone explain what actually constitutes ''cross country'' hours? I just want to make sure im not missing something that will render my hours as being ''invalid'' for some reason. The last thing i want to do is go to Canada, spend lots of money flying around and then when i return, i find out that i dont meet the ''20 hours cross country'' requirement for CPL issue, or some other CAA requirement regarding hours building:bored:

Thanks

I remeber in F.A.A. is any flight 50 n.m. out of departure point, and in U.K. is 25 n.m.

Any flight not logged as circuit detail is classed as cross country, IIRC, but would be best to check LASORS or the CAA website

LASORS states 3nm.

How many hours are you building?, if a lot and you have to question whether you have more than 20 hours cross country then your hour building is severely flawed.

X-Country
 

Cross country is any flight that starts at one airfield and end at another one.
However, for PPL or CPL requirements, a minimum "distance" is specified, i.e. by FAA or CAA.
That distance varies. For FAA (as written above) it is 50 NM.
After receiving a CPL, logging "cross country" is irrelevant.
All that might be needed thereafter is "PIC" or "SIC" time, and time on "type".
That is all I logged for most of my career.
You will never see a "how much cross country time" to apply for a job as 737 F/O with airlines.
xxx
Just a note... these USAF pilots flying, say a B-52 from their US base to worldwide location, in-flight refueling, then returning to their base without landing anywhere, are credited by the FAA for "cross country time" if/when they apply for a CPL issued on the base of their military experience. Same for US Navy pilots on missions from their aircraft carrier.

There are quite a few peoples circuits can get logged as x-country under UK rules :)

Thanks for the replys :ok: im planning on building around 30hours.

The term 'cross country flying' suggests more like 300nm legs with perhaps a land away. So i wanted to run things past people on here as i have mis-read the LASORS requirements in the past.

Based on the 3nm (or even 50nm) requirement i wont have a problem.

Just one other point, since i am flying outside the UK, is there a requirement to have the hours 'validated' in someway? I was planning on getting the flight school to simply stamp my log-book.

Cheers

you don't need to per say.

But it is considered a sensible course of action to get your hours signed off at every stage of your training, hour building and line flying until ATPL issue.

Its also wise while your still low hours to keep a backup until then as well eg electronic and paper. After ATPL the CAA doesn't really seem to care unless you crash but up to then they can be a bit difficult if you should loose your log book.