Can you log touch and goes as cross country flight?

I ask FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) John Ewing if pilots are allowed to log touch and goes and count that flight time towards the cross-country flight time requirement. I am surprised by John's answer and he can back it up with FAA guidance! CFIs and student pilots, make sure you understand the FAA regulation regarding cross country flight time for your pilot certificate so that you won't run into a problem on your next checkride.
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[@Kevlux86]

A student solo (or even me building XC time for IFR Part 61) doing a couple laps in the pattern at an unfamiliar field on a XC - that’s way more valuable experience than laps at home!

[@mianatwood]

Tod Shulnet said something else but it was based on his own interpretation, glad John asked the FAA. Did my private with John, he retired before I was ready for the rest of my ratings.

[@Twest130]

Can we get a copy of the letter? We have a local DPE that has stopped a checkride do to the student doing a lap in the pattern at the airport on a cross country and said that would make her .2 hrs short of the solo cross country requirement

[@mytech6779]

Who separately logs time in the pattern? A lap in the pattern is only 3-5 minutes anyway and if it's at the destination then negotiating the proceedures/altitude/runway-size/freq/right-left pattern of an unfamilier airport is really the purpose of an XC. (Along with some flight planning [really ground work] and some nav equipment practice[can be done locally].) My general rule is one log entry per engine start. Though there are a few minor exceptions like no entry if the flight was aborted before takeoff, or if I wan't to make XC flights to multiple airports chained together (each over 50 from the last) I will break it into multiple entries and do a full stop taxi back to note the hobbs and maybe shuffle nav-logs and charts.

[@benc1103]

I taught my buddy to fly a few years ago in his Piper Cub. Every lesson we went to a different airport (in So Cal). It's better to see a wide variety of airports and airspace than to fly perfect patterns at only one airport. Flying to a different airport should be no big deal by the time a student is ready for cross country flying. Being "born and raised" as a taildragger pilot, he aced the check ride even though he had to use an unfamiliar "nosedigger" Piper Archer. By the way, I soloed him at 8 hours, busting the myth that it takes a huge amount of skill to fly tail wheel aircraft (but he was also a good student). It does take stick and rudder skill, but anyone can learn. And it'll make you a better pilot.....because you have to be.

[@PrestigeWorldWide777]

I’m glad they interpreted it that way. If not, this would raise other questions about diverting while on a XC flight due to unfavorable weather. Like if you shoot an approach and have to ultimately divert.

[@tironhawk1767]

If we could please get a copy of the letter. There are still differences of opinion on this amongst the FAA.

[@linearj2951]

I can't go XC to get my $100 hamburger without, well, going XC. I want to be as safe a pilot as I can be and always learn more, but at the end of the day, the reason to get the PPL is so that I can XC!

[@VictoryAviation]

I also would like a copy of said letter for my future students. Some of this flying is extremely useful.

[@christianjforbes]

If navigation and adm is the exercise... shouldn’t matter if I did or didn’t have a cup of bad coffee in the fbo to prove I was there. Once you in the pattern and on short final, the cross country exercise has been completed in my book.

[@Kevlux86]

There’s also what I learn from landing at the airport, taxiing and finding my way to the FBO, being able to get out and walk around... all good things I don’t want to miss!

[@cowMAN731]

How is time spent on the ground counted (engine on/hobbs running)? Maybe due to a long taxi back, or holding for traffic, or perhaps an extended time in preflight? Still all xc time, no?

[@FlyingLessons]

Yes. www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/agc/practice_areas/regulations/interpretations/data/interps/2016/grannis-2%20-%20(2016)%20legal%20interpretation.pdf

[@mianatwood]

No, it’s based on the engine time and operating the aircraft… not parked up in the ramp