CASA cross-country flight time: definition and licence hours
Checked against the sources below on 29 October 2026. How these guides are written
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CASR 61.010 defines a cross-country flight as "a flight along a pre-planned route during which the pilot uses geometry, topography or radio navigation aids to determine the aircraft's position and course", with no minimum distance; the 150 and 300 nm figures apply to one qualifying flight only. Aeroplane PPL: 5 hours solo cross-country including a 150 nm flight (61.545). CPL: 20 hours as PIC including a 300 nm flight (61.610). Instrument rating: 50 hours as PIC (61.885). ATPL: 200 hours, 100 of them as PIC or ICUS (61.705).
- Cross-country flight
- Pre-planned route, position and course fixed by geometry, topography or radio navigation aids
- No minimum distance
- 61.010
- RPL navigation endorsement
- 5 h solo cross-country, including a 100 nm flight with full-stop landings at 2 landing areas
- Before grant
- 61.495(2)(c), (3)
- PPL (aeroplane)
- 5 h solo cross-country, including a 150 nm flight with full-stop landings at 2 aerodromes outside the training area
- Before grant
- 61.525, 61.545
- CPL (aeroplane)
- 20 h cross-country as PIC, including a 300 nm flight with full-stop landings at 2 aerodromes outside the training area
- Before grant
- 61.590, 61.610
- Instrument rating
- 50 h cross-country as PIC, in the flight test category
- Before grant
- 61.885(5)(a), (7)
- ATPL (aeroplane)
- 200 h cross-country in an aeroplane, of which 100 h as PIC or ICUS
- Before grant
- 61.705(1)(d), (e)
How CASA defines cross-country
61.010 defines a cross-country flight as "a flight along a pre-planned route during which the pilot uses geometry, topography or radio navigation aids to determine the aircraft's position and course", and cross-country flight time as "flight time accrued during a cross-country flight". Dual cross-country flight time is cross-country time in dual flight.
The test is the way you navigated. The definition sets no minimum distance and does not require a landing at another aerodrome. A planned navigation exercise with fixes by map reading or radio aids qualifies; a circuit session or local general flying without a pre-planned route does not. Cross-country time is the flight time accrued during that flight, measured the same way as the rest of your flight time.
Cross-country hours for the RPL, PPL and CPL
For an aeroplane PPL, both the integrated route (61.525, 35 hours total) and the non-integrated route (61.545, 40 hours total) need at least 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time in an aeroplane. That time must include "a flight of at least 150 nautical miles during which a full-stop landing is made at each of 2 aerodromes not within the flight training area for the aerodrome from which the flight began". The flight training area is the one named in your Part 141 operator's operations manual or Part 142 operator's exposition. An RPL holder adding the recreational navigation endorsement needs 5 hours of solo cross-country including a 100 nm flight with full-stop landings at 2 landing areas (61.495).
For an aeroplane CPL, both routes (61.590 integrated, 150 hours; 61.610 non-integrated, 200 hours) need "at least 20 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command of an aeroplane", including a flight of at least 300 nm with full-stop landings at 2 aerodromes outside the training area of the departure aerodrome. Dual cross-country does not fill the 20 hours, because the text says pilot in command.
The helicopter figures differ: 5 hours solo cross-country with a 100 nm flight for the PPL (61.530, 61.550) and 10 hours as PIC with a 150 nm flight for the CPL (61.595, 61.615), with landings at 2 landing areas other than the departure point.
Instrument rating, ATPL and night VFR
The instrument rating needs "at least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command" (61.885(5)(a)), flown in an aircraft of the same category as the flight test aircraft (61.885(7)). The aeroplane MPL needs 5 hours of cross-country as PIC including a 150 nm flight (61.660).
The aeroplane ATPL asks for "at least 200 hours of cross-country flight time in an aeroplane" and, within that, "at least 100 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, or pilot in command under supervision, of an aeroplane" (61.705(1)(d), (e)). The 200 hours has no capacity attached, so co-pilot cross-country counts toward it. The 100 hours needs PIC or ICUS. The helicopter ATPL uses the same 200 and 100 (61.710).
The night VFR rating needs 5 hours of dual cross-country at night under the VFR, in at least 2 flights, each landing at an aerodrome other than the departure aerodrome "that is remote from extensive ground lighting" (61.975(2), (3)).
Logging cross-country so it stands up
61.345 does not list cross-country as a logbook item. It does require the take-off and landing points for the flight and each segment (61.345(3)(e)). Those points, and a cross-country figure on each qualifying flight, are the evidence an examiner or CASA reads when you claim the hours.
Flag the qualifying 150 nm or 300 nm flight in the remarks: the aerodromes where you made full-stop landings and the total distance. If any of those aerodromes sits inside your school's flight training area, it does not count toward that flight.
Mistakes pilots make
- Applying a minimum distance. CASR 61.010 sets none; a short pre-planned navigation exercise is cross-country, and a long leg flown without a pre-planned route is not.
- Landing at an aerodrome inside the flight training area on the qualifying 150 nm or 300 nm flight. The two full-stop landings must be outside it.
- Doing touch-and-goes on the qualifying aeroplane flight. The PPL and CPL rules require full-stop landings.
- Counting dual or co-pilot cross-country toward the CPL's 20 hours or the instrument rating's 50 hours. Both say pilot in command.
- Leaving co-pilot cross-country out of the ATPL's 200 hours. 61.705(1)(d) asks for cross-country time in an aeroplane in any capacity.
What Off Chocks tracks
- The flight form has a Cross-country field. For CASA, type the minutes: left blank, the form fills it from a 50 nm airport-to-airport test that CASR 61.010 does not use, so it misses short navigation exercises. A typed 0 marks a flight as not cross-country.
- Licence progress shows the PPL's 5 hours solo cross-country, the CPL's 20 hours as PIC and the ATPL's 200 hours with 100 as PIC or PICUS, and Goals has an instrument rating template with the 50 hours as PIC. None of them checks the single 150 nm or 300 nm qualifying flight.
Common questions
- Does CASA have a minimum distance for cross-country time?
- No. CASR 61.010 defines a cross-country flight by a pre-planned route on which you fix position and course by geometry, topography or radio navigation aids. The 100, 150 and 300 nm figures apply only to one qualifying flight for each licence or endorsement.
- What is the CPL 300 nm cross-country requirement in Australia?
- Within the 20 hours of cross-country as PIC, a flight of at least 300 nm with a full-stop landing at each of 2 aerodromes outside the flight training area of the departure aerodrome (61.590(3), 61.610(3)).
- Does co-pilot cross-country count toward the ATPL?
- Toward the 200 hours, yes: 61.705(1)(d) asks for cross-country time in an aeroplane with no capacity attached. Toward the 100 hours, no: that needs PIC or ICUS (61.705(1)(e)).
- Does dual cross-country count toward the PPL?
- Not toward the 5 hours, which must be solo (61.525(1)(d), 61.545(1)(d)). Dual navigation time still counts toward your total aeronautical experience.
- Do I need to land somewhere else for a flight to be cross-country?
- The 61.010 definition does not require a landing away. The qualifying flights for the RPL navigation endorsement and the aeroplane PPL and CPL do require full-stop landings at 2 other places.
Sources
- Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, Compilation No. 103 (in force from 29 September 2026), Part 61 and Dictionary
- CASA AC 61-05 v1.1, Night VFR rating (December 2022)
- CASA: Flight crew logbooks (last updated 20 October 2026)
This is a plain-words summary to help you keep your own records, not legal advice. The regulation and your operator's procedures always take precedence.