How organized should my log book be?

RalphInCA

RalphInCA

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Jun 1, 2014
Messages
1,353
Location
McMinnville, OR
Display Name
Display name:
RalphInCA
I have what I would consider to be a typical private pilots logbook. Lots of miscellaneous entries and entries by lots of different instructors.

A I prepare for my instrument/commercial/instructor, should I be re-organizing my logbook, recalculating totals, and in general making the book look more professional? How about using one of the electronic on line logbook systems?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The more certificates and ratings that you earn, the more crap you're going to have in the logbook. In my opinion you should go ahead and buy one of the electronic logbooks. I recently bought log ten pro for my apple computer and I love it. Still keep a paper logbook, just update the electronic log every week or so.
 
I use an electronic log,and back it up with a paper log book. I have started adding comments to every flight. The comments can be eliminated from the hard copy. Giving your entries a more professional look.
 
It needs to be legible. You will need to establish eligibility for each check ride.

This argues against lots of modifications.

I use both my original paper logbook and an electronic one, and periodically reconcile the two. That way, each is a backup for the other (yes, the electronic one does have copies of my HP and complex endorsements and my most recent flight review).

When the instrument check ride comes along, the paper book is "primary" and the electronic one "supporting" in case my CFII's writing is illegible (a real possibility if you try to read it). Totals are identical. Until I finish it, the electronic book lacks the CFII's signature, but he's easy to get ahold of should disaster strike in the next few months.
 
If you don't plan on applying for a professional flying job, I don't think it really matters how it looks as long as you can read what you wrote.
 
jordane93 said:
If you don't plan on applying for a professional flying job, I don't think it really matters how it looks as long as you can read what you wrote.
Click to expand...

I know of at least one guy who blew a checkride because his examiner couldn't read it, and couldn't establish eligibility. It was a really bad logbook.

It's not just for you. Mostly it is, but not when you need to establish eligibility for something.

Insurance, FBOs, and volunteer organizations (e.g., CAP) may also want to see it.
 
MAKG1 said:
I know of at least one guy who blew a checkride because his examiner couldn't read it, and couldn't establish eligibility. It was a really bad logbook.

It's not just for you. Mostly it is, but not when you need to establish eligibility for something.

Insurance, FBOs, and volunteer organizations (e.g., CAP) may also want to see it.
Click to expand...
As long as it's legibile and you can find critical flights (flight reviews, checkrides, etc) then it's fine IMO.
 
There's a lot to be said for attention to detail but at some point it becomes a wee bit anal.

Sticking with paper, as a number have already said, the longer you fly and the more certificates, ratings and endorsements you get, the more your logbook is going to reflect a number of people's differing writing style (unless, of course, you get so picky that you never let anyone else but you write in your logbook except for an instructor to sign his name, certificate # and expiration date).

Not mentioned yet is the common practice of using pen for all line entries but pencil for column totals. Column totals aren't mentioned in 61.51 (the Universal Rule of Logging Flight Time) and most errors in logbooks tend to be in those totals. (I actually stopped putting any totals in my paper logbook a long time ago, but I'm not necessarily recommending that practice.)
 
As long as you can read it and your math is right, it's all good.
 
If you're going for a checkride or job interview one way to make it easier on them is to just put those little post-it sticky tabs on the various pages that matter. Color code for endorsements, relevant time, etc. Makes it quick and easy for them to see what they wanna see, without changing the contents. Everything should be legible though.
 
James331 said:
As long as you can read it and your math is right, it's all good.
Click to expand...
I think it's more accurate to say "As long as anyone who has the authority to review it and take action against you if it doesn't meet FAA standards can read it..."
 
Ron Levy said:
I think it's more accurate to say "As long as anyone who has the authority to review it and take action against you if it doesn't meet FAA standards can read it..."
Click to expand...
But what if the illegible flights are flights you weren't legally obligated to log anyways?
 
mkosmo said:
But what if the illegible flights are flights you weren't legally obligated to log anyways?
Click to expand...
I thought we were talking about the entries which are required. Anything not required by somebody need not be legible to anyone else -- or even entered in the first place.
 
Ron Levy said:
I thought we were talking about the entries which are required. Anything not required by somebody need not be legible to anyone else -- or even entered in the first place.
Click to expand...
It was. I was just curious and trying to figure out if the standards would be the same for a flight not necessarily required to be logged, but opted to be logged anyhow.
 
As long as the time you need for the rating is legible,don't worry about it. I never went for a new rating without having more hours than needed. In case some hours where questioned.
 
Since Commercial requires a certain amount of total time, wouldn't that mean ALL flights up to that goal are required? Not such an issue for someone with thousands of hours, but for some of us who are trying to get ratings every single flight gets logged because we need that time to meet requirements for that further rating. As such ALL log entries should be legible.

And really, if you're gonna log it, why scribble? If you're gonna scribble, don't bother.
 
I still plan on receiving some certificates(which are going to require instructor signatures). So I keep the paper logbook. I use an electronic one in case someone wants to see it and if they want signature verification it is in the paper logbook.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top