Straight line distance equal direct?

[Skydreamer2015]

Hey you all! I am working on my commercial requirements and I am planning my long cross country under Part 61.129(4)(i) which is a "flight of not less than 300 NM total distance, with landings at a minimum of 3 points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 NM from the original departure point"
My question is, does straight-line mean the flight needs to be direct or just be a distance of 250 NM on the chart? I wasn't going to go direct to the airport that is 250 NM away from my departure airport. I was going to go southwest of my departure airport(Airport A) to my first landing point(Airport B )then northwest to the airport(Airport C) that is 250 NM from my departure airport(Airport A). From Airport C fly southeast to Airport D and then back to Airport A. Hope my question make sense.Thanks guys!

 

[Skip Miller]

It is the distance measured from airport to airport. It does not mean distance flown, so you can wander through the skies as you please. Note that the 3 landings is a minimum so you can stop where you like as well. Enjoy! -Skip

 

[LDJones]

With so many wonderful places to see and explore why shoot for the minimum? Go explore!

 

[BillTIZ]

You can zig-zag to a mid point airport or two to get your 300nm flight distance. But the farthest airport must be at least 250nm from where you started.

I first flew from home airport northeast to an airport about 65 miles away, landed, and declared that my "start". From there I flew southwest 220nm to have lunch with a friend. Then south another 90 miles to meet another friend. Then back to my based airport which was only 220 miles from the farthest south airport, but 280nm from my declared starting airport. Well over 300nm total distance.

 

[BillTIZ]

Hey you all! I am working on my commercial requirements and I am planning my long cross country under Part 61.129(4)(i) which is a "flight of not less than 300 NM total distance, with landings at a minimum of 3 points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 NM from the original departure point"
My question is, does straight-line mean the flight needs to be direct or just be a distance of 250 NM on the chart? I wasn't going to go direct to the airport that is 250 NM away from my departure airport. I was going to go southwest of my departure airport(Airport A) to my first landing point(Airport B )then northwest to the airport(Airport C) that is 250 NM from my departure airport(Airport A). From Airport C fly southeast to Airport D and then back to Airport A. Hope my question make sense.Thanks guys!

The key is A to C, the airport farthest from "start" is greater than 250nm and the total distance flown is greater than 300nm. Sounds like that plan should work.

 

[James331]

With so many wonderful places to see and explore why shoot for the minimum? Go explore!

Kinda sad, seems like this is the longest most CPL student go

If it were up to me a CPL would need to complete a 1,000nm XC and have one international boarder crossing as PIC.

I used to tell my guys to actually go somewhere, go a couple thousand miles, you're going to need the hours anyway, you'll actually learn something per gallon of 100LL and per tick of the hobbs, plus you'll knock out quite a few requirements.

Before my CPL I flew across the entire country, learned a ton, knocked out many CPL requirements, did some good networking, and had a ton of fun.

 

[Hank S]

If it were up to me a CPL would need to complete a 1,000nm XC and have one international boarder crossing as PIC.

I used to tell my guys to actually go somewhere, go a couple thousand miles, you're going to need the hours anyway, you'll actually learn something per gallon of 100LL and per tick of the hobbs, plus you'll knock out quite a few requirements.

Before my CPL I flew across the entire country, learned a ton, knocked out many CPL requirements, did some good networking, and had a ton of fun.

The on,y problem with that is those long trips are that they are much more pleasant when you take someone with you, and that makes them invalid for the CPL requirements.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Kinda sad, seems like this is the longest most CPL student go

If it were up to me a CPL would need to complete a 1,000nm XC and have one international boarder crossing as PIC.

I used to tell my guys to actually go somewhere, go a couple thousand miles, you're going to need the hours anyway, you'll actually learn something per gallon of 100LL and per tick of the hobbs, plus you'll knock out quite a few requirements.

Before my CPL I flew across the entire country, learned a ton, knocked out many CPL requirements, did some good networking, and had a ton of fun.

My understanding is getting back into the USA isn't so easily done outside of a commercial plane or ship- timing needs to be correct to meet customs, EFIS need to be done correctly or accrue fines, etc. If my understanding is correct, I would disagree with the bolded part.

 

[jordane93]

The on,y problem with that is those long trips are that they are much more pleasant when you take someone with you, and that makes them invalid for the CPL requirements.

And some flight schools might not let the renter rent a plane for a week

 

[StinkBug]

I took a 7000 mile XC a week before my CPL. Sadly none of it would have applied to this part of the requirements because I had a passenger. Stupid.

 

[RotorDude]

My understanding is getting back into the USA isn't so easily done outside of a commercial plane or ship- timing needs to be correct to meet customs, EFIS need to be done correctly or accrue fines, etc. If my understanding is correct, I would disagree with the bolded part.

I do this all the time in a private plane, and it can't be much simpler or easier.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

I do this all the time in a private plane, and it can't be much simpler or easier.

I also hear the other stories. I suppose what most people experience is someplace in the middle.

 

[James331]

Always been fine for me.

 

[farmerbrake]

I took a 7000 mile XC a week before my CPL. Sadly none of it would have applied to this part of the requirements because I had a passenger. Stupid.

The on,y problem with that is those long trips are that they are much more pleasant when you take someone with you, and that makes them invalid for the CPL requirements.

Not quite done with my instrument work yet, but am starting to look ahead.
So your saying the xc requirements (aren't there two or three? One during daytime, one during nighttime?) Need to be done completely solo? So even a family member who has no ppl at all in the plane makes it invalid?

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[jordane93]

Not quite done with my instrument work yet, but am starting to look ahead.
So your saying the xc requirements (aren't there two or three? One during daytime, one during nighttime?) Need to be done completely solo? So even a family member who has no ppl at all in the plane makes it invalid?

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The daytime and nighttime x country need to be done dual. The long one can be solo or with a CFI

 

[farmerbrake]

The daytime and nighttime x country need to be done dual. The long one can be solo or with a CFI

Could you combine all 3 into one? Fly somewhere that meets the longest distance requirements during the day, stop and have supper, and then fly home?

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[BillTIZ]

Could you combine all 3 into one? Fly somewhere that meets the longest distance requirements during the day, stop and have supper, and then fly home?

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The day and night 2 hr trips need to be logged dual. The long xc needs to be logged solo. Can't combine all three.

Well you could log dual day to a position, do your 300nm solo with CFI on board (required for insurance do to aircraft type?) , now it's dark and get your dual logged night xc home.

 

[SkyDog58]

The funny thing is that almost all of these cross country flights are done as a roundtrip and as such the 300nm number becomes a foregone conclusion. You cannot fly to an airport 250nm miles away from your point of departure without having to fly at least 500nm total in order to make the round trip. So all you need to do is find one other airport along your route to the 250nm airport to land at either on the way out or the way back. But as others have alluded to, make an excursion out of it and have fun, do some sightseeing, etc.

 

[BillTIZ]

I took a 7000 mile XC a week before my CPL. Sadly none of it would have applied to this part of the requirements because I had a passenger. Stupid.

All cross country flights of any significant distance are completed one fuel load at a time. Most plan legs of 3 to 3.5 hours with proper fuel reserves left in the tank. Land, refuel plane and body, regroup, update the weather brief and the plan and launch again.