Aircraft Logbooks

Skymac

Skymac

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
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343
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Kentucky
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Display name:
Justin
What does your flight school do with aircraft logs? Are they generally out for inspection anytime, do they have them locked up and then available for checkrides, etc?
 
Skymac said:
What does your flight school do with aircraft logs? Are they generally out for inspection anytime, do they have them locked up and then available for checkrides, etc?
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Usually locked up and available upon request, definitely available and pulled out for checkrides. Your examiner should ask you about them and you should know about them (determining whether the aircraft is airworthy).
 
I should have noted also, I run a flight school. I was curious as to the practices of others. I think mine are a little too available, I’ve always kept them in a un-locked locker and people can dig through them anytime they want. I believe I’m going to go to a status sheet for inspections and stuff and just have them out when needed for a checkride or checkride prep.
 
Skymac said:
I should have noted also, I run a flight school. I was curious as to the practices of others. I think mine are a little too available, I’ve always kept them in a un-locked locker and people can dig through them anytime they want. I believe I’m going to go to a status sheet for inspections and stuff and just have them out when needed for a checkride or checkride prep.
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Maybe only accessible to your CFI’s or during business hours, you wouldn’t want someone to accidentally take them home (happens with keys all the time). Always have copies of keys and important logs or at least a digital copy is my thought.
 
I’d have them available to the aircraft owner, school management, and maybe CFIs, but certainly not students. Of course they need to be available on demand.
 
Scan them, PDF them, and then make the electronic copies available to whoever needs them. And keep the physical logs locked up.

Heck, I don't even give the shop my physical logs.
 
Skymac said:
I should have noted also, I run a flight school. I was curious as to the practices of others. I think mine are a little too available, I’ve always kept them in a un-locked locker and people can dig through them anytime they want. I believe I’m going to go to a status sheet for inspections and stuff and just have them out when needed for a checkride or checkride prep.
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I think yours are too available and you are at risk of them walking out. I suggest you make digital copies of your logs for online viewing or make notebooks that are copies of the logs. There is zero reason an examiner needs the physical logbooks for a checkride.
 
Pinecone said:
Scan them, PDF them, and then make the electronic copies available to whoever needs them. And keep the physical logs locked up.
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Exactly my thought. If the airplane is really old, you wouldn't even need to scan all of them. I'm not even thinking of the FAR retention periods. Just enough to show AD compliance (many shops do a separate sheet which is updated) and currency.

@Skymac, I like the idea of a status sheet but then you are asking pilots to take the risk of your sheet being wrong. Can that happen? Well, my very first private student pulled the books for his checkride and discovered the airplane had been flying out of annual for months. A status sheet is great - every flight school and club I have been associated with or rented from uses one - but I think some set of records should be available for inspection, whether scanned or photocopied.
 
I have the student fill out a checkride status sheet with an instructor with the look books. Then the student knows the process, and has verified everything themselves.

Copies of everything needed to fill that out go with them to the checkride.

Our logbooks have AD compliance summaries, making that pretty easy.
 
We are talking which log books here?

Up here in the North with the school I go to the journey logs are part of the routine pre flight. You get the bag with the insurance, weight and balance, stc certs, and the journey log with the keys. You review the journey log before the flight to check for any snags and make sure the plane is ready to go. It is also required to have the journey log with the plane if you land anywhere other than your origin.

The engine and other tech logs don’t have to come and you don’t see those.

I am guessing it’s a very different approach in the states based on the discussion.
 
The rental outfit I associate with uses Flight Circle.

The most recent annual, other inspections for airframe/engine/prop, and current weight and balance are scanned/photographed and the image placed in the public files section for that aircraft.

This allows access to some key documentation nice and simple. So far the local DPE’s have accepted a copy of that over the entire set of books.
 
Tools said:
I have the student fill out a checkride status sheet with an instructor with the look books. Then the student knows the process, and has verified everything themselves.

Copies of everything needed to fill that out go with them to the checkride.

Our logbooks have AD compliance summaries, making that pretty easy.
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I like the idea of that student completed status sheet. Can you share a copy here as a PDF for us to see/use?
 
I’ll try to dig one out, currently out of town.
 
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