PP solo XC: controlled airports required?

Badger

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Messages
2,137
Display Name

Display name:
Badger
I have read/interpretated (yes I searched here)
http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgFar.nsf/FARSBySectLookup/61.109

The verbiage is a little confusing in sentence 5, sub (ii) (see below)
(5) 10 hours of solo flight time in a single-engine airplane, consisting of at least--

(i) 5 hours of solo cross-country time;

(ii) One solo cross country flight of 150 nautical miles total distance, with full-stop landings at three points, and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles between the takeoff and landing locations; and

(iii) Three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower.

Specifically the word "and" at the end of this requirement followed by the section (iii) that requires 3 from operating control tower. Maybe I'm reading into this too much. In short: is section (iii) requirements incorporated within section (ii) or are they independent requirements?
 
The three takeoffs and landings at a towered airport, do not have to be accomplished at the same time as the cross country flights. You can do them separately.
 
Thanks, that was my interpretation too. I'm not sure why they have "and" at the end of (ii) seems unnecessary.
 
It's to distinguish that i, ii, and iii are required, as opposed to some regulations where it might be i, ii, or iii.
 
Because (5) includes (i), (ii), and (iii). Get used to that pattern as that's how lawyers write hierarchical lists and the FARs were written by lawyers. (Granted, they did a good job of writing them for a non-lawyer audience, compared to plenty of other federal regulations.)
 
Don't worry about it- by the end of 1500 miles of solo flight you'll have done all those things and do much more. Good luck.
 
When I finished my part 141 requirements and was about to do my end of course check with the school they found that I was missing a solo landing at a tower controlled airport (I was also my instructor's first student to complete training and get my ticket). We hopped into a plane 15 mins later, made the 10 min hop into Dayton Int'l where we pulled up to an FBO, he got out and I did a lap, picked him back up, and went back home.

So no, the towered airport landings do not have to be during the cross countries, though depending on where you are flying out of that may be the most opportune time to get them in.
 
Back
Top