Taming your Commercial long cross-country (or any long flight in a small plane)
This article discusses the Commercial pilot certificate's long cross-country requirement, and gives some hints and tips for any long flight in a small airplane. These ideas are not a substitute for training with a qualified CFI, so use them as a starting point for discussion with your instructor before attempting anything presented here.
The Commercial pilot certificate has a requirement known informally as the “long cross-country” — which is an interesting term because for some pilots, the 250 nautical mile (NM) straight-line distance is laughably short, while for others it is a pretty daunting undertaking. Which category you fall into may depend nearly as much on aircraft and scheduling logistics than piloting skill or knowledge. Before we get into that, let’s take a look at the regulations:
14 CFR 61.129 (a)(4)(i): One cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point. (Note: Hawaii exception omitted.)
Since this falls under subpart 4 of 61.129, this flight must be either solo or “performing the duties of Pilot in Command” with an instructor on board (which is typically only done if required by insurance - especially for multi-engine).
While there are other cross-country requirements for the Commercial rating, I’m going to refer to this flight requirement as the “Commercial XC” for the rest of this discussion.
If you have access to a Cirrus SR22T or other similarly fast and well-equipped aircraft, then you probably won’t need any of the tips that follow to complete the Commercial XC, but they may still be helpful for even longer flights in your more capable plane.
If you are piloting a Cessna 172, Piper Warrior, or anything else that cruises at typical trainer speeds – and especially if you are renting from a flight school, or otherwise have scheduling or logistical challenges – then this is especially for you.
For some aspiring Commercial pilots, this requirement can be a tough one to get out of the way. There’s nothing intrinsically difficult about it from a pure flying perspective, but getting it done can be delayed by obstacles that tend to fall into the following categories:
Planning paralysis
Weather, maintenance, and scheduling issues
Lack of confidence in the aircraft or pilot
I’m going to discuss each of those categories and then share some tips from my own Commercial XC experience, along with a few nuances of the regulations to be aware of.
Planning Paralysis:
If you are an expense-minded pilot on the career track, the Commercial XC might be the longest flight you’ve made so far by a large margin. For this reason, there is a tendency to make the most of the opportunity to fly somewhere unforgettable. There’s nothing wrong with this, but if you’ve been planning the flight for six months and you’ve changed your mind about destinations eleven times, then you might be suffering from planning paralysis. If this is the case, I suggest sitting down with a map (or your favorite EFB or website) and planning the most straightforward possible route that meets the requirements in the regs and also fulfills any training criteria that you and your instructor want to accomplish with this flight. There will always be time to go back and get that epic flight of your dreams done later on. Think completion - not perfection.
Weather, maintenance, and scheduling issues:
Depending on where you live, how you access your airplane (rental, flying club, or ownership), and your work and family obligations, this may be the most challenging aspect of completing the flight. There are too many variations of aircraft, geography, rental/flying club situations, family constraints, and other variables to address them all, but here are a few thoughts:
If you are renting from a flight school, talk to your instructor, the chief pilot, or the owner about ways to minimize the risk that your reserved aircraft will be unexpectedly unavailable due to maintenance or scheduling. Maybe certain tail numbers go down for squawks more often, or renters tend to return late on certain days. You might be able to get higher priority by leaving a note in the reservation system that your flight is needed to meet a requirement for an upcoming checkride. In general, I recommend trying for the first booking of the day and avoiding weekends if possible. If you are a member of a flying club, let the other members know what you are trying to do and ask for a bit of extra leniency in scheduling the plane – possibly with multiple backup dates.
While you can’t change the weather, there are a few flight planning decisions that can stack the deck in your favor. If you are instrument-rated and current, and the plane is properly equipped, consider the option to complete some or all of your flight under IFR. Avoid excessively short or skinny runways that may lower your personal minimum for maximum crosswind component, and plan your flight to avoid any geography that may quickly become hazardous as soon as weather conditions deteriorate.
If you are lucky enough to have multiple aircraft available to you, consider spending a bit more for the faster, more comfortable, better-equipped option if one is available.
If you have challenging job or family constraints, communicate to your boss (or your significant other) that this is an important and challenging milestone for you. Their support and understanding may help remove the added barriers of needing to work late or complete extra tasks around the house instead of preparing for your flight.
Lack of confidence in the aircraft or pilot:
This is a tough one that can lead to a lot of procrastination. Early on in our flying careers (and sometimes later as well), we’ve probably all had the experience of the aircraft seeming to develop an almost imperceptible odd sound, vibration, or smell as soon as we reach the point in our flight that would be most perilous to lose an engine. That old Lycoming that felt completely smooth and reliable during our last 10 hours with the instructor suddenly seems rough when we’re flying solo and out over water or unforgiving forests, or solo in IMC for the first time. Similarly, some pilots who are calm in the pattern and local practice area may become anxious when faced with the prospect of being a few hours away from home base with no one else to help them fly the plane. I don’t think “just ignore it” is good advice for dealing with issues of confidence. Instead, I believe that confidence is best built up through increasing the pilot's knowledge and capability.
If you have doubts about the airworthiness of an aircraft that you are flying, by all means get it checked out by a mechanic, or talk to an instructor about your concerns, and possibly switch to a different aircraft if you are renting through a flight school. Additionally, do everything you can to learn more about aircraft systems - not just in theory, but through practical scenarios and “what if” exercises in flight with a capable instructor. Learning to discern actual indications of impending failure from normal variations in sounds and vibration will help you respond properly to the former and avoid needless distraction and worry from the latter.
Self-doubt can be even tougher to address than concerns about the aircraft. The Aviation Instructor’s Handbook (the FAA’s required reading for flight instructors) discusses normal vs. abnormal reactions to stress in its chapter on Human Behavior. As part of determining our readiness to act as Pilot in Command, we all must evaluate whether our stress response and emotional state are within normal and acceptable safe limits (the “S” and the “E” in IMSAFE). If a pilot has excessive anxiety or any other physical or mental health concerns that may impact the safety of flight, then they clearly shouldn’t fly until these issues are resolved. Having said that, there are a few tips that can help deal with the kind of normal, minor anxiety that all pilots experience at some point. Loosening your grip on the yoke can signal the rest of your body to relax (unlike the white-knuckled death grip that can be the default reaction to stress). Slowing or deepening your breathing can be helpful, and there are techniques like “box breathing” used by elite athletes and military personnel to stay calm under extreme pressure - but some may cause lightheadedness for certain people, so I suggest becoming very comfortable with any breathing techniques on the ground before trying them in the air. Personally, I’ve experienced more anxiety creep in over checkride performance than any other aspect of flying. For me, a deep breath and a mental reminder to “relax and have fun with this” has always done the trick. As a pilot, it’s worth taking some time to find out what works for you.
Here are a few other thoughts and considerations for your long flight:
Bring some easy-to-pack food — even if it is just there as backup. Maybe part of your flight plan includes a stop at an airport with a famous restaurant located on the field. This can add a fun extra dimension to your trip, but if things don’t go as planned and you wind up diverting to a small airport without food options, you’ll be thrilled to have those PB&J sandwiches you packed while you wait a few hours for maintenance personnel. If you’re going to need coffee, bring coffee. Don’t rely on finding some in an FBO. Bring plenty of water, even if you’re not planning on drinking much in flight. Dress for egress: consider whether you have adequate clothing in case you need to land in a field and wait for help. Bring a small overnight bag with a toothbrush, any medications that you might need, and maybe a minimal change of clothes. Also, make arrangements for anything critical that needs to happen at home to possibly happen without you that night. Get-home-itis can amplify the urge to push on through hazardous conditions rather than spending the night on an FBO couch if you feel like you “need” to get home to take your medication or feed your cat or kids. Consider the possibility that you may need to go to the bathroom at an inopportune time, and plan accordingly.
Two final comments on the regulations regarding this flight:
When subpart 4 of 61.129 says that this must be a “solo” flight (unless you opt for the uncommon “performing the duties of Pilot in Command” with an instructor on board option), it is generally interpreted as meaning that you must be the only person aboard the aircraft (i.e. don’t consider your family vacation trip with your kids to be your Commercial XC). I don’t imagine that most DPEs would investigate this aspect too much unless your logbook entry says “Great family vacation with the wife and kids!” -- but it's better to be safe and keep the flight a true solo.
There are two other scenarios that are difficult to find a clear "ok" or "not ok" answer on in the regulations. The first is whether an overnight stay is permitted mid-trip, and the second is whether you can relocate your aircraft to a new “original departure point” before starting your 250NM+ leg in order to keep the trip closer to home. If you are considering either of these options and you know which DPE you will be using for your checkride, I suggest reaching out to them in advance of the flight for a definitive answer on their interpretation. If this isn’t possible, you can always reach out to your nearest Flight Standards District Office (FSDO).
The long cross-country requirement for your Commercial Pilot certificate (or any long trip that you make in a small aircraft) can be daunting, but it is also a great opportunity to improve your skills, gain confidence, and (possibly) find some great food along the way.
