DGCA Cross Country Requirements - Complete Guide 2026

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DGCA has strict rules for cross-country flights which need to be followed in order to get a Commercial Pilot License. The rules differ depending on the endorsements you want on your license.

Below are the requirements which have been specified by DGCA for cross-country requirements.

Cross Country Requirements for PPL: 5 hours of cross-country as PIC is required for getting a private pilot license in India. The 100 NM first leg requirement still applies for every cross country lesson.

Cross Country Requirements for CPL: 25 Hours as PIC (If you are not planning on getting a multi-engine rating or an instrument rating, 25 hours are enough for a CPL License)

Cross Country Requirements for CPL with Instrument Rating or Multi-Engine Rating: 50 hours of cross-country are required as PIC if you want your CPL license with an endorsement of a multi-engine rating or instrument rating.

100 NM Cross Country Requirement

This is one of the most important requirements everyone doing commercial pilot license training should be aware of!

Students doing commercial pilot license training abroad are usually not aware of this rule as every country has different rules for cross-country flights.

The rule specifies that in order for a flight to be considered a cross-country flight, the first leg should be a minimum of 100 nautical miles. The other legs can be shorter in radius.

150 NM Cross Country Requirements

This requirement is specific to those who are applying for a Private Pilot License. The 100 NM requirement is a base for this. The total flight length should be at least 150 NM with 2 Full stop landings at different aerodromes.

300 NM Cross Country Requirements

The 300 Nautical Miles cross-country flight is a requirement for a CPL License. If your goal is to get a Private Pilot License, you can skip the 300 nautical miles cross-country flight.

Below are the conditions required for a 300 NM cross-country flight for a CPL License:

  • 100NM First leg: Make sure not to stop before reaching an airport which is at least 100 nautical miles away in radius from the departure aerodrome.

  • 2 Full Stop Landings: DGCA requires pilots to stop at 2 different aerodromes apart from the departure aerodrome.

Tips for License Conversion Students:

Not enough cross-country hours: A common issue with license conversion students is not having enough cross-country hours. If you do not have enough cross-country hours, you can get additional hours while doing your check rides in India. Some check rides are less than 100 nautical miles in radius. Ask your examiner to extend the radius of the check ride to more than 100 nautical miles in order to count the check ride as a cross-country flight.

Lessons with less than 100 NM First Leg: Every country has different rules for considering a flight as a cross-country flight. For example, in Canada, a flight with a 25 nautical mile radius is considered a cross-country flight, but in India, it is not. Before you start your training, ask your flight school to adjust the cross-country lessons to extend the first leg of every lesson to more than 100 nautical miles.

Frequently Asked Questions:

I did a cross-country flight which was less than 100 nautical miles. Will it be counted?

The flight will be counted for PIC hours but not for cross-country hours.

Does every leg need to be more than 100 nautical miles?

No, only the first leg of a cross-country flight needs to be more than 100 nautical miles. The rest of the legs can be less than 100 nautical miles. We recommend having the other legs also more than 100 nautical miles for added safety during CPL License issuance.

Do I need to stop at an aerodrome which is 100 nautical miles away or can I overfly?

No, you do not need to stop at an aerodrome which is more than 100 nautical miles away; you can overfly that point. Make sure to mention this in your logbook though.

Are dual cross country hours counted towards the requirement of cross country flight requirements for CPL issuance?

No, dual lessons are not counted towards the requirement of DGCA for the issuance of CPL license. Only the PIC hours are counted towards the requirement.