Lesson plans
Nine lessons to meet important requirements of the instrument and commercial ratings while building your cross country experience.
Overview
The instrument rating requires 50 hours of PIC cross-country time (14 CFR 61.65(d)(1)). The commercial certificate requires the same 50 hours (14 CFR 61.129(a)(2)(ii)). The same hours count for both.
A flight counts as cross-country time only if it lands more than 50 nm straight-line from the original departure point (14 CFR 61.1).
These nine lessons also fly the four cross-country flights that the commercial certificate requires. Those hours count toward the 50 hours too.
| Source | PIC XC hours |
|---|---|
| These nine lessons | 34.5 |
| Instrument training | 6.0 |
| Total | 40.5 |
PIC cross-country time already in the logbook gives the other 9.5 hours. If the logbook has less, add solo cross-country flights. Each flight must land more than 50 nm straight-line from KSNS.
Routes are suggestions. Any route that meets the route criteria for the lesson is acceptable. Planned hours are estimates. The logbook is the record. Track every flight in the cross-country ledger.
When to fly these lessons:
Target: 44.0 hours or more of PIC cross-country time before IR Lesson 20 (IFR cross-country). IR Lessons 20 and 22 add 6.0 hours for a total of 50.0. If IR Lesson 20 does not land more than 50 nm from KSNS, the target is 46.4 hours.
Aircraft: Piper Warrior N41459.
Requirements
| Requirement | Lesson |
|---|---|
| Day cross-country: 2 hours, more than 100 nm straight-line | XC 1 (suggested: L52, 105.1 nm) |
| Night cross-country: 2 hours, more than 100 nm straight-line | XC 4 (suggested: KSAC, 111.0 nm) |
| Long cross-country: 300 nm, 3 landing points, one at least 250 nm straight-line | XC 8 (suggested: KCNO, 252.8 nm) |
| Night VFR: 5 hours, 10 takeoffs and 10 landings at a towered airport | XC 5 and XC 6 (any towered airport) |
| 50 hours PIC cross-country (commercial) | Ledger |
| 50 hours PIC cross-country (instrument) | Ledger, before the IR checkride |
The instrument rating also requires one IFR cross-country of 250 nm or more (14 CFR 61.65(d)(2)(ii)). That flight stays in IR Lesson 22 (IFR long cross-country). It also counts toward the 50 hours.
Night planning
XC 5 and XC 6 need 10 takeoffs and 10 landings at night at an airport with an operating control tower (14 CFR 61.129(a)(4)(ii)). Night starts at the end of evening civil twilight (14 CFR 1.1). The months below give time to fly there and do about 35 minutes of pattern work before the tower closes.
| Airport | Months |
|---|---|
| KSAC Sacramento Executive, 111.0 nm | October to early March |
| KSMX Santa Maria Public, 119.6 nm | November to mid-February |
| KCCR Buchanan Field (Concord), 82.4 nm | Mid-August to early May |
These airports are suggestions. Any airport with an operating control tower is acceptable. The KSNS tower closes at 1900. The KMRY tower closes at 2100. Pattern work at KSNS or KMRY counts for the tower requirement. It counts as cross-country time only if the same flight also lands more than 50 nm from the original departure point.
Cost
| Item | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Ground instruction | 9.5 | $1,520 |
| Dual flight (Warrior and instructor) | 6.5 | $2,340 |
| Solo flight (Warrior) | 28.0 | $5,600 |
| Total | $9,460 |
Flight time is 34.5 hours. Ground time is 9.5 hours. This cost is an estimate, not a quote. It uses the published rates: Warrior $200/hr on the hour meter and instruction $160/hr. See current rates.
Planned hours use a 100 kt groundspeed plus 0.2 hours for each landing. Wind, airspace, and fuel stops change the real time. Distances are straight-line distances between FAA airport reference points (FAA data effective October 1, 2026). Tower hours come from the same FAA data. Check the current Chart Supplement and NOTAMs before each flight.
Bring your logbook. An instructor will count your PIC cross-country hours and plan the rest with you.
