Minimum XC Distance
Long XC Requirement
Approaches Required
FAR 61.65 Cross-Country Requirements
The instrument rating under Part 61 has two distinct cross-country requirements. Understanding both — and how they relate to each other — lets you build toward them simultaneously rather than treating them as separate hurdles.
| Requirement | Minimum | Regulation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total PIC cross-country time | 50 hours | 61.65(d)(2)(ii) | Can use hours logged during PPL training |
| Long dual XC flight | 250 nm total | 61.65(d)(1)(iii) | In simulated or actual IFR conditions with a CFII |
| Approaches on the long XC | 3 airports | 61.65(d)(1)(iii) | Different types of approaches (ILS, VOR, GPS, etc.) |
| Total instrument time | 40 hours | 61.65(d)(2)(i) | Actual or simulated; up to 20 hrs in approved sim/AATD |
| Instrument training from CFII | 15 hours | 61.65(d)(1) | Includes the long XC, approaches, holds, etc. |
What Qualifies as an IFR Cross-Country Flight
For the instrument rating, a cross-country flight must have a landing point more than 50 nautical miles in a straight line from the departure airport. Two things pilots commonly get wrong:
This is the most important rule to understand. Under FAR 61.1(b)(3)(ii), cross-country time is defined as a flight that includes a point of landing more than 50 nm from the original departure point. That means every minute of the flight counts — not just the final leg to the distant airport.
Example: You depart KCDW, spend 45 minutes doing holds and unusual attitude recoveries in a practice area 15 nm away, then fly to KABE (52 nm from KCDW) and land. The entire flight — including the 45 minutes of training near home — logs as cross-country time. This is why the double-up strategy works so well.
The 50 nm is measured in a straight line from the original departure point — not along your routing. Holding en route or flying a curved IFR routing doesn't change the qualifying distance. If KCDW to KABE is 52 nm straight-line, the flight qualifies regardless of how many miles your IFR routing adds.
The flight must include an actual landing at the point more than 50 nm away — a low approach or fly-over does not count. A touch-and-go is a landing, but most instrument training scenarios call for a full-stop anyway since you'll typically brief the return leg on the ground. Confirm with your CFII how each flight will be logged.
Flying KCDW → KABE and then KABE → KCDW gives you two separate cross-country log entries — each with a landing more than 50 nm from its own departure point. A round trip in a single day yields two XC entries plus a full instrument training session.
Cross-country flight time logged under the hood (simulated IFR with a safety pilot) counts toward your total PIC cross-country hours. For the long XC requirement, it must be flown in simulated or actual IFR conditions with your CFII — VMC sightseeing doesn't satisfy the requirement even if you fly past 250 nm.
The Double-Up Strategy
The inefficient approach: fly to a practice area near your home airport, do 45 minutes of holds and approaches, fly home. Zero cross-country credit — because you never landed more than 50 nm from departure.
The efficient approach: plan the same training session so that it ends with a landing at an airport more than 50 nm from home. Do your holds, unusual attitudes, and approaches anywhere along the way — in the practice area, en route, or in the destination terminal area. When you land at the distant airport, the entire flight — including every minute of training done near home — logs as cross-country time.
Planning Your Route: NYC-Area Example
For pilots training out of the New York Metro area, here are practical cross-country pairings that work well for instrument training. Each is slightly over the 50 nm minimum, giving you a comfortable buffer while keeping flight time manageable.
| Departure | Destination | Straight-Line | Training Opportunity En Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| KCDW (Caldwell, NJ) | KABE (Allentown, PA) | 52 nm | Holds at Solberg VOR, ILS or VOR approach at KABE |
| KCDW (Caldwell, NJ) | KPOU (Poughkeepsie, NY) | 58 nm | Hudson River corridor, VOR 24 or ILS approach at KPOU |
| KCDW (Caldwell, NJ) | KBDL (Hartford, CT) | 94 nm | Longer leg — ideal for en-route IFR procedures and ILS 33 at BDL |
| KCDW (Caldwell, NJ) | KALB (Albany, NY) | 116 nm | Good long-day option; RNAV or ILS approaches at KALB |
On each of these routes, work with your instructor to brief and fly at least one approach at the destination — then fly another approach on the return leg at either a divert airport or back at your home field. You accumulate approach currency, XC time, and instrument hours all in one flight.
The 250 NM Long XC Flight
The long cross-country requirement is separate from your general XC hour building. It must be flown with your CFII, in simulated or actual IFR conditions, with a total routing of at least 250 nm and approaches at three different airports using different types of approaches.
Plan for three approach airports plus your return home. A typical structure from the NYC area:
- KCDW → KPOU (VOR approach) → KALB (ILS approach) → KBDL (RNAV approach) → KCDW
- Total routing: ~280 nm — satisfies the 250 nm requirement with a buffer
- Three different airports ✓ — three different approach types ✓
Verify the total distance using ForeFlight's route planner before the flight. The FAA requires the total route distance along airways or direct routing — not straight-line airport-to-airport.
The regulation doesn't explicitly require different types of approaches — just approaches at three different airports. However, your CFII will expect you to demonstrate proficiency across approach types (ILS, VOR, RNAV/GPS) since all three are tested on the checkride. Plan the route so each airport offers a different primary approach type.
The long XC is an ideal opportunity to practice a full IFR weather brief and real IFR filing. Brief all three destination airports, identify alternates, verify fuel requirements, and file your IFR flight plan through ForeFlight or 1800wxbrief.com. Your CFII will use the real planning as the foundation for the preflight discussion.
Common Planning Mistakes
A touch-and-go does not qualify. The landing must be a full stop at the destination. If your instructor let you log a touch-and-go as cross-country during PPL training, that was technically incorrect — but it's unlikely to cause a problem since you almost certainly have more than enough total XC hours. For instrument training purposes, always plan for a full-stop at the destination.
Some students habitually fly to practice areas that happen to be 40–45 nm away — just under the threshold. Check the straight-line distance to any airport you're considering before flight. A 10-minute routing adjustment to reach an airport 55 nm away is almost always worth it.
Cross-country time must be logged in a specific column in your logbook (or correctly categorized in ForeFlight). It must show the route (departure and destination airports), confirm a full-stop landing, and note the distance. DPEs will review your logbook in detail during the oral exam — sloppy entries create unnecessary checkride friction.
The double-up strategy only works if your instructor is on board. Brief your CFII before the flight: "I'd like to route today's session through KABE so we can log cross-country credit. Can we plan holds and a VOR approach en route?" Most experienced CFIIs will readily adapt the lesson plan — but they need to know the intent before departure.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the instrument rating, a flight counts as cross-country time when it includes a landing at a point more than 50 nautical miles in a straight line from the original departure airport. This rule comes from FAR 61.1(b)(3)(ii). The key detail most students miss: all flight time on that trip counts — including any time spent training in a practice area near home — as long as the flight ends with a landing more than 50 nm away.
Yes — and this is exactly the double-up strategy. If you plan your training session so that it ends with a landing at an airport more than 50 nm from home, every minute of the flight logs as cross-country time. Holds, steep turns, unusual attitudes, and approach practice you did near the home airport all count. The only requirement is that the trip includes a qualifying landing. Coordinate with your instructor before the flight so the lesson plan is built around a qualifying destination.
The long dual cross-country (FAR 61.65(d)(1)(iii)) must be flown with your CFII in simulated or actual IFR conditions. The total route must be at least 250 nautical miles, measured along airways or direct routing — not as a straight-line distance between airports. The flight must also include approaches at three different airports.
A typical NYC-area route: KCDW to KPOU (VOR approach), KPOU to KALB (ILS approach), KALB to KBDL (RNAV approach), then back to KCDW. That routing comes out to roughly 280 nm and satisfies all three requirements.
Partially. An FAA-approved AATD or full-motion simulator can count toward your 40 hours of instrument time (up to 20 hours). However, the 250 nm long cross-country must be flown in an actual aircraft — it cannot be substituted with simulator time. That said, using a simulator to pre-fly the long XC route, practice the three approaches, and work through weather scenarios beforehand is one of the most efficient ways to prepare for it.
The best routes clear the 50 nm minimum by a comfortable margin while staying close enough to keep the flight manageable. From KCDW (Caldwell, NJ), strong options include:
- KCDW to KABE (Allentown, PA): 52 nm — ILS or VOR approach, easy ATC handling
- KCDW to KPOU (Poughkeepsie, NY): 58 nm — VOR 24 approach, classic NYC-area training route
- KCDW to KBDL (Hartford, CT): 94 nm — longer leg, good for en-route IFR practice
- KCDW to KALB (Albany, NY): 116 nm — ideal for a longer training day or partial long XC leg
For each route, plan at least one approach at the destination and one on the return leg to maximize approach currency and cross-country time simultaneously.
Build Cross-Country Proficiency in the Simulator First
Practice IFR cross-country planning, en-route procedures, and approaches in our FAA-certified G1000 NXi simulator before you fly the real route. Save time and money.
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