As a commercial Student, I am comfused on the hours of Cross country and flight time I need

3 Answers

1. 
   

   
   

   Russ Roslewski on Apr 15, 2022

   Of course your CFI will review your logbook and make sure you meet at the requirements and be able to guide you to what remains. But to answer your direct question:

   61.129a(3) states “20 hours of TRAINING” and the 2-hour day and night cross countries are listed under that. I.e. they require a CFI.

   61.129a(4) states “10 hours of SOLO * ” and the 300-nm XC is listed under that. Note that solo means solo, nobody else is in the plane, so that trip with your spouse to the beach doesn’t count.

   * 61.129a(4) also allows the option of 10 hours with what I’ve been calling a “ballast” CFI. This was brought about by insurers not allowing solo flight, especially in multiengine aircraft. The CFI is expected to NOT provide instruction, the student is expected to do everything without assistance. In my opinion, if insurance is not an issue, you SHOULD do this flight solo, because if you need a CFI along you’re not ready to be a commercial pilot. But be aware, if you do have a CFI along for any of these 10 hours, you have to have a CFI along for ALL of the 10 hours including the night requirement – it’s all or none due to the way it’s worded.

   So with all that in mind, going down your list of questions:

   1. You have to have a 2-hour 100-nm day XC and night XC with a CFI somewhere in your logbook past your Private checkride. If you do, you’re good. If you don’t, you need to do it.

   2. The minimum amount you need to fly with a CFI now, depends on how many of the dual instruction requirements you already meet from 61.129a(3). So yes, there is a de facto minimum of 20 hours, but it’s possible you already have done most of those. And of course there’s the 3 hours of training in the last 60 days for any checkride.

   3. This I answered above – but your use of the term “250 nm leg” is incorrect. You do have to land somewhere at least 250 nm away from where you started the trip – but you can land every 10 nm along the way if you want. I’d say most people probably find some airport 251+ nm away, fly there, and land at a third airport on the way back home. But there’s no requirement for it to be a round trip, and there are many other ways to meet the requirement without flying 500+ total miles since the requirement is only 300 total miles.

   4. If you meet the solo requirements and the instrument training and complex/TAA training already and just need the dual XC flights and maneuver practice (like most people that I see for this), then if you’re flying 4-5 times a week you really could schedule the checkride for next week. The dual XC flights can be done in 4 flight hours on one afternoon/evening, and the maneuvers it just takes until you get proficient at them.

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2. 
   

   
   

   LTCTerry on Apr 15, 2022

   Russ answered while I was typing. His response is politer than mine. I do provide some tips at the end.

   “I am very confused by the wording.”

   FAR 61.129 defines all this rather clearly. You seem to have read it. It’s essentially a bunch of yes/no questions/statements. If it says “includes” then you need to have it “included” in your log book:

   (3) 20 hours of training on the areas of operation listed in § 61.127(b)(1) of this part **that includes at least** –

   (iii) One 2-hour cross country flight in a single engine airplane in **daytime conditions** that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles…;

   (iv) One 2-hour cross country flight in a single engine airplane in **nighttime conditions** that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles…; and

   (4) Ten hours of **solo** flight time in a single engine airplane **or** 10 hours of flight time **performing the duties of pilot in command** in a single engine airplane with an authorized instructor on board… that include –

   (i) One cross-country flight of **not less than 300 nautical miles total distance**, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point.

   (v) Three hours in a single-engine airplane with an authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test.

   Q: Do I have to do both the day and night cross country time?

   A: What does it say? “One XC of… daytime…” and “one XC of… nightnight…” Looks like the answer to your question would be, clearly, yes.

   Q: Is there a minimum hour requirement I need to fly with my CFi since I am already at 260 hours?

   A: Yes. Read each section in 61.129. If it says “flight” or “hours” or similar then you have to do it/document it. Snarky perhaps, but how did you get this far w/o being able to “get” this? You are well beyond 250 having only met a few of the 61.129 requirements. You also need three hours in preceding 2 calendar months, but that can be all this other stuff and maneuvers.

   Q: I see there is a 300 nm total distance with a 250nm leg, is this something I do solo or with my CFI?

   A: Again, snarky on my part, but what does it say? “Solo” OR “performing the duties of PIC…”

   See the word “or”? The ten hours must be truly solo (only you in the airplane) or all ten must be what I call “fake solo” with an instructor, but not logged as dual. All ten of one or all ten of the other. No mix and match.

   Q: Realistically, if I were to fly 4-5 times a week, will this be able to be accomplished within a month realistically?

   A: Realistically, only you can answer this realistically. How much flying do you need? You don’t know that yet.

   Do you plan to be a CFI? You need to figure this stuff out. Here are my thoughts/suggestions on how to save some money as you do this:

   Fly in the right seat for all of this stuff. Do the CFI writtens. Buy lesson plans. Study them for your commercial training. Take your checkride in the right seat. Promptly take the CFI checkride while you are super current in the right seat.

   Two hours for a 100NM XC is tons of time. Practice commercial maneuvers during the flight.

   The “long XC” has weird math. If you fly 250 out, then basically you have a 500NM trip when you only need 300… So, fly out 250 and back at least 50. That’s the 300 (make sure you get one more airport in to have three). You still have 200 to go. If you fly the long XC as “fake solo” with an instructor but not logged dual, you can land and wait for sunset plus an hour to fly the last leg home. This “wasted” 200NM becomes your “two-hour, 100NM nighttime dual XC.” Salvages otherwise wasted money.

   Good luck.

   A tip: When in doubt, copy/paste the FARs into MS Word and actually indent the subparagraphs. Makes it easier to get things sorted. Much easier.

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3. 
   

   
   

   pico.pilot on Apr 15, 2022

   As @ltcterry points out:
   >>When in doubt, copy/paste the FARs into MS Word and actually indent the subparagraphs. Makes it easier to get things sorted. Much easier.<<

   Here's my version for fixed wing with toggles for the sections:

   https://myownairspace.notion.site/Commercial-Req-61-129-152a8c70478c47d4a71f6dd8c6551da1

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