REFLECTOR: Logging CC trips

[Clayton Chase]

In general, you are only required to log experience for currency or meet
the requirements of a rating, as per 14CFR 61.51(a) (Pilot Logbooks, I've
pasted the text below) so unless you are going for a rating you don't need
to log cross country time at all.  But if you choose to do so, you must use
the definition of Cross Country time which is in 14CFR 61.1(b)(4)
(Applicability and definitions, Cross-country time, I've pasted the text
below)

The basic four elements are:*
Conducted by a person who holds a pilot certificate;**
Conducted in an aircraft;**
That includes a landing at a point other than the point of departure; and**
That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation
aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems to navigate to the landing
point.*

So as long as you meet those requirements, you can log cross-country time,
however if you are required to have specific cross-country experience
logged for a rating (e.g. private, commercial, instrument, ATP) you may
need to have flights that meet specific requirements in addition to just
those four elements.  Specifically in 61.1(4)(ii)(B) (pasted below) for the
aeronautical experience requirements for private, commercial or instrument
it must also involve a point of landing that was at least a straight-line
distance of more than 50NM from the original point of departure. 25NM for
Sport Pilot and Rotorcraft, 15NM for Powered Parachute. So as a commercial
airplane pilot applicant, I could log all flights that met the basic four
elements as cross country, but I would also have to show that the flights I
use to meet the aeronautical requirements listed in 61.129 also involve a
point of landing that was 50NM or further away.   That would be a total
pain in the rear to separate but would be legal.  I recommend that students
(and everybody, honestly) only log as cross-country those flights that meet
61.1.(4)(i) AND 61.1.(4) (ii)(B).

I personally only log as cross country flights that meet both even though I
could log all flights where I land somewhere other than the departure
airport.   I do log cross-country time even though there is no requirement
that I do so.

Clear as lexan with duct tape all over it?  :)

§ 61.1   Applicability and definitions.1-3 not shown - Clay Chase

(4) Cross-country time means—

(i) Except as provided in paragraphs (b)(4)(ii) through (b)(4)(vi) of this
section, time acquired during flight—

(A) Conducted by a person who holds a pilot certificate;

(B) Conducted in an aircraft;

(C) That includes a landing at a point other than the point of departure;
and

(D) That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic
navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems to navigate to the
landing point.

(ii) For the purpose of meeting the aeronautical experience requirements
(except for a rotorcraft category rating), for a private pilot certificate
(except for a powered parachute category rating), a commercial pilot
certificate, or an instrument rating, or for the purpose of exercising
recreational pilot privileges (except in a rotorcraft) under § 61.101 (c),
time acquired during a flight—

(A) Conducted in an appropriate aircraft;

(B) That includes a point of landing that was at least a straight-line
distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of
departure; and

(C) That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic
navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems to navigate to the
landing point.

§ 61.51   Pilot logbooks.

(a) Training time and aeronautical experience. Each person must document
and record the following time in a manner acceptable to the Administrator:

(1) Training and aeronautical experience used to meet the requirements for
a certificate, rating, or flight review of this part.

(2) The aeronautical experience required for meeting the recent flight
experience requirements of this part.

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