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2 Answers

IFR CX requirement 250NM

Asked by: 1899 views Instrument Rating

FAR 61.65 (d) (2) (ii) says

(A) A flight of 250 nautical miles along airways or by directed routing from an air traffic control facility;

(B) An instrument approach at each airport; and

(C) Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems.

 

 

In this case, 250NM means direct distance? or the actual track length that I filed and flied?

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2 Answers



  1. Russ Roslewski on May 18, 2020

    The direct distance between all three airports does not have to be 250 nm. Otherwise, there would be no need for them to put the “along airways or by directed routing from an atc facility”.

    So, if A-B-C-A is 200 nm but due to airways or ATC routing, you fly 250+ nm, you are good.

    HOWEVER, I would not try to cut it that close. You may have to prove to the examiner that you flew more than 250 nm. If the airports are in fact 250 nm or more direct distance apart, then there is no more justification that needs to be done. But if they aren’t, then it can be messy. If you have a ground track recorded, then that could help. But if you don’t, how do you prove it? Easier to do that now than just a few years ago, of course.

    Furthermore, you can’t predict with absolutely certainty what routing ATC will give you – What if you end up at 249 nm – you’d have to do it again.

    FWIW, I have done this before – the direct routing was about 240 nm, but the combination of airports and approaches offered a great training benefit for the type of equipment the trainee had in his airplane. We ended up flying well more than 250 nm, and the examiner did not question it – but some might have.

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  2. Mark Kolber on May 19, 2020

    I agree completely with Russ. The regulatory answer is it does not have to be direct distance. But the practical answer is, why not choose the airports it based on direct distance? Doing that provides benefits. It avoids questions. When you actually plan the flight you’ll use real anticipated routing to calculate fuel requirements and appreciate the difference. And you’ll have the real -world experience of being able to accept a friendly ATC shortcut without thinking about whether you have to say, “unable, I’m on a training flight and need the distance.”

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