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commercial night cross country

Asked by: 6284 views Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations

For the required aeronautical experience for a commercial rating, 61.129(a)(3)(iv) requires a 2-hour nighttime cross country.  Is it required that an instructor be on-board for this flight or can it be performed solo?  I've had different responses from different instructors.  What aids in the confusion is that the next requirement in para (v) requires 3 hours in preparation for the practical and specifically mentions "with an authorized instructor".  Under 61.1(b) states flight training means received from an authorized instructor.  It was pointed out that 61.129(a)(3) says 20 hours of training, not specifically "flight training".  I'm confused!!!

1 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Jun 21, 2015

    The training required for this must be dual instruction and may not be solot. You referenced the applicable sections, I quoted them in part below with “dot dot dot” meaning I edited out text at this point so you can see the flow of the regulation. As you can see the introductory portion clearly indicates that it is discussing “flight time as a pilot”.

    61.1(b) States in part:

    b) For the purpose of this part:

    dot dot dot

    Training time means training received–
    (i) In flight from an authorized instructor;
    (ii) On the ground from an authorized instructor; or
    (iii) In a flight simulator or flight training device from an authorized instructor.

    61.129(a) states in part:

    (a) For an airplane single-engine rating. Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section, a person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane category and single-engine class rating must log at least 250 hours of flight time as a pilot that consists of at least:

    dot dot dot

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

    dot dot dot

    (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 from the original point of departure;

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