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8 Answers

Switching Logbooks

Asked by: 15594 views
General Aviation

This probably doesn't require the input of a CFI, but I'm going to ask anyway.

I finish my instrument rating in the next two weeks (141) and I start my commercial after that and eventually on to my CFI and CFII.  I've had the same little black Jepp logbook that everyone uses since I started training back in the mid 90's.  I've only filled up a third of it.  When do people usually upgrade to the professional pilot logbooks?  It seems like they offer a more accurate accounting of time as you progress to different ratings and certificates.

Anything wrong with ending my original logbook before it's full and starting out my commercial training with a new professional pilot logbook?

 

 

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8 Answers



  1. Paul Tocknell on Sep 21, 2011

    I filled up that little black Jeppesen book with many hours of dual received and given before I moved up to a “professional” log book which by the way, has more columns than I’ll ever need.  I would have probably have been just fine sticking with the little Jeppesen books and filling one up every couple of years or so.   I knew a pilot who did that and he had over 20,000 hours all of which were logged in several of those starter Jepp logbooks.  

    Also might be a good time to think about going digital.  I still like filing out my old “analog” logbook after every flight but since I always carry my iPad now, I think frequently about moving everything over to an app or program; maybe someday I’ll finally take the digital dive.

    Just my two cents.

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  2. JamesCFI on Sep 21, 2011

    I prefer to fill one logbook up then move on, but it’s a personal thing, doesnt matter how you log it (heck you could use a roll of TP to log your flight if you really wanted to), just make sure you BACK IT UP!!! via copies, scans, whatever.
     
     My new log book is a excel sheet I made and uploaded to google docs, its accessible on my iphone/computer etc.
     I have it set up like a normal logbook, however based on the tailnumber it will count the time as tailwheel/high-performance, complex, etc. it also tallies up my pay so at the end of the week I just print that week up for payrol. 
     
    The other aspect I like is how I can run a search for a certain aircraft or student and pull up all flights (and/or groundschool) for that student or plane. Also it’s free!!

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  3. CFI Academy on Sep 22, 2011

    To add to the above 2 excellent comments, I suggest http://pilotpal.com – a free and online logbook.
    Now the question could be: should I enter all of my old logbook on the online logbook as well, or should I just start from current flights? 😉

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  4. Pete Kemble on Sep 24, 2011

    To answer the question – I plan on doing the same thing and it’s what a friend of mine flying RJs did. He used the little black logbook through 141 training (mine’s from 1996!) and once hired at an airline started using the big ones. These days though, he’s all digital, no more paper. 
    Going to geek out a little here, but I put my logbook in an excel doc I got from here: http://cheappilot.com/. From there, I exported it into a SQL database with the plans of one day creating my own web form to enter flights and add to the database. The great thing about having a logbook as a database however, is filling out the 8710 form’s esoteric questions are a breeze; night solo time? SELECT sum(total) WHERE night > 0 and dual_recvd IS NULL
    my query might be a little off, but you get the idea!

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  5. Matthew Waugh on Oct 03, 2011

    No

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  6. john white on May 17, 2014

    Due to several resident relocations my logbook was lost for a few years. Well, yesterday
    digging through some buried boxes, I found it but in damaged condition caused by water
    and mold. My question is :” Do I need an instructor’s endorsement to transfer the hours to
    a new logbook and if yes, what”?

    Thanks

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  7. john white on May 17, 2014

    The logbook which was once lost is now found after years of misplacement.
    Found damaged by water and mold. My question is: “Do I need an instructor’s
    endorsement in the new logbook to validate the hour transfer yes, then what
    should it say”?

    Thanks

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  8. Mark Kolber on May 18, 2014

    There’s nothing in an instructor’s endorsement kit that can verifies anything other than what the instructor did. I’ve known folks who have re-created their logbooks for various reasons and asked CFIs to, for example, re-endorse their complex endorsement, but beyond doing something like that, it can be a bit of overkill.

    To what degree you do a re-creation depends on when and why. If you are still a student pilot, there may be a practical (as in “practical test”) reason to redo the logbook, so the DPE has a full record. But if you are a certificated pilot, your last 8710 is a pretty good record at least of the flight hours you listed in it. IOW, whether you “need” to have those old dual hours and endorsements is a question to ask yourself.

    Depending on factors such as those, you might consider how irretrievable your current logbook is. If it’s readable, I might just do my best to clean it up and seal it up, and start from that point forward with a new one.

    The FAA has a couple of guidances on lost logbooks. I discuss them in “I Lost My Logbook! What Do I Do?” in my FAW pages – http://midlifeflight.com/flying-faq/miscellaneous-regulatory-questions/

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