Cross Country time 135 and 91?

[Icywings2]

Hey all,

I am wondering how to add up my current cross country time.

Before I started flying Part 135 I logged all the cross country as any point more than 50 miles from the originating airport. That worked to move through the ratings. In turn, I added up only those trips as cross country in my logbook. Then once I got into the Part 135 world I learned that any 2 points will do for cross country.

The question of the day is what do I do about the many hours I did log between points that were not more than 50 miles before I got into Part 135?

I am doing a resume now and I need to show cross country. I can't really go back and change my old logbooks since I already totalled each page. I am concerned if my time on the resume is not the same as in the logbook I'll have a big problem.

I am sure I am not the first person to come across this. Can some of you seasoned pilots help me out and tell me what you all did?

Thanks a ton!!!!

-d-

 

[avbug]

Icy,

The definition of cross country varies slightly under 14 CFR 61.1(b)(3). You are correct that you may log any flight with a landing at a point other than the point of departure, as cross country, so long as you used a means of navigation to get there. However, this has nothing to do with Part 135.

However, if you are logging cross country time to meet the experience requirements of any certificate or rating, the flight must extend to a point more than 50 nm from your origional point of departure. For all certificates or ratings except the ATP, this must include a landing at a point other beyond 50 nm straight line distance from the origional point of departure.

I see that you're showing 700 hours total time. This means that you still have some distance to go before you can apply for the ATP. That being the case, you should still stick to logging as cross country only flights that go beyond 50 nm. The ATP experience requirements don't demand that you perform a landing beyond 50 nm, only that the flight be conducted to a point more than 50 nm. (If you fly three hundred miles away and return without landing, it's still a cross country for the purposes of the ATP certificate).

With this in mind, plus the fact that the generally accepted definition of a cross country is 50 nm at minimum, I would encourage you to log nothing as cross country unless you go beyond that minimum distance. It doesn't look proper in your logbook even though it's legal to do. You're much better off logging by the industry standard than trying to build cross country time on short legs less than 50 miles.

Until you have enough experience and time to meet the cross country requirements for the ATP, then you need to stick with the logging requirements of 61.1(b)(3)(iv).

 

[C425Driver]

Avbug,

Here's a suggestion that a Fed passed along to me. He described it as one of those things your CFI never taught you. None of my CFI's taught it to me!

If you are pursuing a professional career in flying, make two X-C columns in your logbook.

One column is for any X-C time regardless of the distance as defined in Part 61.1. This will show your total X-C time that can be applied to Part 135 mins. This is what a perspective employer will want to see.

The other column is for X-C more than 50nm. This will show your X-C time that will count toward any certificates or ratings. This is what an examiner will want to see when you go for a checkride.

By doing this you will always have the appropriate information readily available when you show up for an interview or a checkride.

Hope that helps. Fly safe,
C425Driver

 

[C425Driver]

Oops, I meant to address that last post to IcyWings2.

 

[avbug]

Most employers want to see the generally accepted definition, which is 50 nm. Why not only log flights in excess of 50 nm as cross country? It passes the "smell" test, requires only one column in an already crowded logbook, and shows that you are in tune with and in keeping with the industry standard.

Trying to log by loophole only looks bad.

 

[Icywings2]

Well thank you for your input. I'll have to go back and check all of my flights to see which ones are shoret then the 50nm.