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4 Answers

Student X-C counts toward Instrument rating?

Asked by: 11015 views Instrument Rating

Can the cross-country flights in excess of 50 NM, made by a student pilot with and without an instructor and used to meet the qualifications for a Private certificate, be counted again towards the 50 hours of X-C needed for an instrument rating? 

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4 Answers



  1. Wes Beard on Nov 28, 2011

    The solo cross country training done by the student pilot will count towards the required 50 hrs of cross country time as pilot in command.  The cross country training with an instructor does not count.
     
    §61.65(d)(1) states “50 hours of cross country flight time as pilot in command”
     
    The only way to get PIC time as a student pilot is to fly the airplane solo per §61.51(e)(4)

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  2. CFI Academy on Nov 28, 2011

    Also, you can ask your CFII, the onegiving you training towards your IR, to try and make as many IR training flights as x-c flights (50nm landing). This way you are not only getting IR training, but also PIC x-c time. After you get your private, your are PIC even with the CFII on board training you for IR.

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  3. Kris Kortokrax on Nov 28, 2011

    Alternatively, if you apply for the private and instrument concurrently, 61.65(g) allows more leeway:
     
    (g) An applicant for a combined private pilot certificate with an instrument rating may satisfy the cross-country flight time requirements of this section by crediting:
    (1) For an instrument-airplane rating or an instrument-powered-lift rating, up to 45 hours of cross-country flight time performing the duties of pilot in command with an authorized instructor; or
    (2) For an instrument-helicopter rating, up to 47 hours of cross-country flight time performing the duties of pilot in command with an authorized instructor.

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  4. Matthew Waugh on Dec 01, 2011

    CFI Academy has a great suggestion. I was a CFII out of a busy Class C, so multiple practice approaches were like fairy dust. If the student was interested then we’d head out to an airport 51NMs away and make sure we did one touch and go. You’d be surprised how, with the right planning, you can hit an airport on the way out and one on the way back as well.
     
    If the airport you fly from has enough approaches to be interesting then it’s a trade-off on time going somewhere else, but if you’re going somewhere else anyway, make it 51NMs away!
     
    Once you can control the plane within the required standards, file IFR everytime you go out, that’ll really help you use the system later on.

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