Part 141 Flight Schools Require Approved Airports for Cross-Country Flights to Count
Question: I am a Part 141 flight student working on my commercial certificate. I was on the solo long cross-country flight when I had to divert to another airport because of the weather. When I returned to the flight school and told my CFI what I had done, he said the flight would not count because the airport I diverted to isn't one of the ones we're authorized to use. How can they take that time away from me? READ MORE: When Is the Best Time to Begin Training for an Instrument Rating? READ MORE: Considerations for Mountain Flying Answer: Part 141 flight schools operate using a highly regulated FAA-approved syllabus and Training Course Outline (TCO), which includes a list of approved airports the students can fly to. Deviating from the list without prior permission invalidates the specific flight toward meeting the requirements to complete the Part 141 course. Basically, you'll have to repeat that cross-country flight—only this time going to an approved airport for it to count. The good news is the hours don't magically disappear. They still count toward total flight hours, so make sure you log them. I get that this seems unfair and it is disappointing, but let's look at the bigger picture here: Diverting to avoid weather is sound aeronautical decision-making. Good on you. Ask us anything you've ever wanted to know about aviation. Our experts in general aviation, flight training, aircraft, avionics, and more may attempt to answer in a future article. Email your questions here .