a different cross-country time question

Suppose that I fly from airport "a" to airport "b" and then from
airport "b" to airport "c". The straight-line distance from "a" to
"b" is less than 50 nautical miles and the straight-line distance from
"b" to "c" is less than nautical miles. However, the straight-line
distance from "a" to "c" is more than 50 nautical miles. How much
time can I spend at airport "b" and still count this flying as
cross-country time for the purpose of meeting the aeronautical
experience requirements for an instrument rating?

Thank-you!
Arden

How much
time can I spend at airport "b" and still count this flying as
cross-country time for the purpose of meeting the aeronautical
experience requirements for an instrument rating?


As much as you want. It can even be overnight.

There are no rules about what constitutes a "flight". In the FAA FAQ they give
several examples of "flights" that last several days with stopovers. However,
in interpreting the regs, they look to the "purpose of the flight". The FSDO
may determine that if you stay long enough to require re-planning and
re-briefing the next leg, that the cross-country-ishness of the flight (for the
purpose of meeting this reg) may not apply. But this is just speculation on my
part as to how they may interpret the regs. It is not actuallly =in= the regs.

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

The key phrase is "original point of departure" and as far as I know that's
never been defined. The 14 CFR FAQ used to have a discussion in there about
not deliberately changing the original point of departure to make something
a cross-country that it might not have been, but it's all a bit hazy.

It has to pass the smell test - if it smells like a cross-country it is, and
if smells like bulls*(t then it probably isn't a cross country.

Mat

--
Matthew Waugh
Comm. SEL MEL, CFI-AI
http://home.nc.rr.com/mwaugh/learn2fly/index.htm

"Arden Prinz" wrote in message
om...
Suppose that I fly from airport "a" to airport "b" and then from
airport "b" to airport "c". The straight-line distance from "a" to
"b" is less than 50 nautical miles and the straight-line distance from
"b" to "c" is less than nautical miles. However, the straight-line
distance from "a" to "c" is more than 50 nautical miles. How much
time can I spend at airport "b" and still count this flying as
cross-country time for the purpose of meeting the aeronautical
experience requirements for an instrument rating?

Thank-you!
Arden

On 27 Dec 2003 20:02:46 -0800, (Arden Prinz)
wrote:

Suppose that I fly from airport "a" to airport "b" and then from
airport "b" to airport "c". The straight-line distance from "a" to
"b" is less than 50 nautical miles and the straight-line distance from
"b" to "c" is less than nautical miles. However, the straight-line
distance from "a" to "c" is more than 50 nautical miles. How much
time can I spend at airport "b" and still count this flying as
cross-country time for the purpose of meeting the aeronautical
experience requirements for an instrument rating?

As much as you want. Essentially, so long as you're not being
ridiculous, if you treat it as one "flight", so will the FAA.


Mark Kolber
APA/Denver, Colorado
www.midlifeflight.com
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