What type of logbook do you use?

[VikVaughan]

This is probably a fairly trivial question, but as a newbie I'm curious. What is your preferred type/make of logbook? (non computer). Are you indifferent? Some people appear to treat them as a nearly sacred journal of their flying experiences, while for others they appear to be merely a nuisance or purely functional necessity. I'm about to buy my first one and want to know if you've come across a particular type you've liked or found durable, provided all the fields/features you need, etc, etc. Do you just buy the first and least expensive one you come across, or spend a little bit of money on a "nice" one because it might mean something one day? Does it matter?

Once again, forgive the newbness! Curious to hear your response.

[Epsilon]

I'm aware that buying your first logbook is a big milestone in ''the pilot experience'', but a nice excel worksheet beats any paper logbook. No paperwork, no more scratches, automatic sums, no more ''wtf did I wrote here?''

[VikVaughan]

I'm aware that buying your first logbook is a big milestone in ''the pilot experience'', but a nice excel worksheet beats any paper logbook. No paperwork, no more scratches, automatic sums, no more ''wtf did I wrote here?''

I'd imagine it would definitely be easier to deal with in Excel. What I intend to do is keep a physical version and an excel version as backups of one another. I've had computers poop on me way too many times not to

[C-GPFG]

Excel for me now as well. I back it up to my email account.

[C-FKLY]

I'm aware that buying your first logbook is a big milestone in ''the pilot experience'', but a nice excel worksheet beats any paper logbook. No paperwork, no more scratches, automatic sums, no more ''wtf did I wrote here?''

Yes, but you see, all of the above build character, and I would want something that I can look over later in life and be proud of, relive moments and laugh at my errors -- not simply look at an Excel document.

I've just got the standard Hammond Aviation logbook that I think most at least start with. It's not bad, but not great on the other hand -- I wish there was more room to write hours in, as getting triple digits w/ a decimal is difficult enough in the boxes they give you (I can't imagine if I had 1000s...), and where it has X-Countries, it would nice if they sub-divided "Night" into solo and dual. Look at what your local pilot supply has got, and I'd say the bigger the boxes, the better.

[Janszoon]

http://www.canada-shops.com/Magasin/vip ... 662.2.html

With space for over 2700 entries, this should last you a while. I use a book and Excel myself. I like to have the book as something solid and the Excel as something that allows me to total up the hours as I choose, as well as make columns for specific aircraft/configs.. you get the picture.

[pilotman15]

The above logbook is a great one. AviationWorld has Professional Pilot logbooks for 24.95 I think. They will also engrave your name onto it. Very good logbook and glad I purchased it relatively early in my training before I had to many entries to copy-over.

[iflyforpie]

I just use the small VIP 19.95 standard pilot logbook. I hate lugging around a huge logbook and every year or so I get a nice new one (yeah I'm sure some of you Borek guys do a Professional one in a year lol).

[Snowgoose]

I use excel and the paper logbook. The excel logbook spits out pages for me so I've been using that for the past year now. Paper is too prone to mistakes.

[just curious]

I filled a logbook about the size of the Pro book, but twice as thick. It lasted just bout 12,000 hours. I got 2 airforce logbooks a decade ago, & had them bound, and they should last me till retirement. With 12,000 and a bit hours, it's about 1/3 of the way filled. I've got stickers, pictures, maps & sketches, and notes from the whole time. Deaths of friends and family, news articles from the flying club's great and near great. Small course certificates, and a few lines that can recall a whole story...

An airline may or may not ask to see it. 30 years from now your recollection of the dents on the cowl of your first 172, or the name of the guy who buzzed Parlee Beach during the RCMP/ Enforcement officer training party will be fuzzy. The spot where Dunc Grant figured Franklin's Ships foundered will be a dim recollection.

Face it, stories about your flying buddies will never be published until their dead of forgetful. The stuff hilarious to you and a few may be tedious to the rest of the world. But most people will never write another book in their life. Why not make it a good one?

[Rowdy]

Great post JC.

Its amazing how quickly I forget names and exact places now unless I have a reminder such as the ones you've mentioned and I'm still a youngen with nowhere near the billions of hours you've got in an otter alone

[beaverbob]

For all you younger pilots, think of this.
For many years I only made monthly log book entries. One year I made an entry for the whole year taken from the company flight times records for the year total.
Since then I have been making an entry for each plane every two weeks.
Now I'm wishing that I had completed more detailed entries since I started to fly. It would have been good to look back at some of the more interesting days and would be good to pass on to my Grandchildren.
Like Just Curious said, It could be the only book most of write in our life, why not make it a good one.

Bob

[StudentPilot]

I have gone the paper and excel route. The way I see it I have the Excel logbook to quickly spit out a few recent pages for whoever needs a copy, and it's simple to find out how much time I have on a specific plane, specific type, etc. I also find it easier to keep track of float, ski, tailwheel, turbine, etc time than in the small VIP logbook I started with, and will still be a bit easier than with the Aviation World pro logbook I'll need to start soon. Personally I log every days flights together, which is fine when they are routine flights, but if something interesting/out of the ordinary happens I often use a couple lines to write a short entry about what happened. I've also taken to putting pictures in my logbook to help more with the memories when I get older, or just start forgetting what I did at that first job.

Including maps, sketches, notes, and things not directly related to my flying (ie family deaths) sounds like a great idea JC, thanks. Out of curiousity, what type of maps do you include? Do you put parts of old VNCs in of where you've been flying, or more along the lines of the hand drawn "This is where you're going, land here past the ditch, and don't hit these radio antenna" type maps?

[VikVaughan]

Thanks for the responses all. It would seem that there is quite a bit of potential for personal value in your logbook if you choose to view it that way and document experiences beyond your hours. I'll definately be keeping a physical version after reading some of the posts. I think I might grab that one in the link posted above if I come across it, or perhaps one of these: http://www.aviationlogs.com/PilotShop/p ... ntique-FSH . Looks prety reasonable and hopefully lasts a while as they claim.

[CP]

Anybody have a 7,30,60,90 day flight time accumulator for download?

[nimbostratus]

I use the little red flight crew log books. Small and easy to carry around when you are on trips, especially if they are many legs and many days/weeks. I also have the big black Professional Log book that I later transfer all the info over to. Hopefully with fewer mistakes and lines drawn through errors.
Finally I've been keeping an electronic version as well. It was really a pain in the butt initially to manually enter all the flight data from about seven years of flying into the database. I did it all at work while sitting on standby for medevacs. This electronic version has been a lifesaver for updating resumes with time breakdowns for airlines, and insurance companies.
I would recommend your first log book is a thin one that you can transfer stuff from later. I found I made many errors on my first book and it became a bit of a mess. I ended up buying a second one and re-writing it anyway. Don't do this with the big expensive one that you will want to keep a long time. My second (first) logbook is also full of photos of aircraft I've flown, newspaper articles etc.
Oh, and always keep a back-up of your electronic one. E-mailing it to yourself is a good way. If your house burns down it won't get that one...

Nimbo

[Cadismack]

If you've got a MAC, LogTenPro is awesome. TC and many other templates for logbook print options. Customized reporting. You can download the FULL program to try it out for 40hrs logged time before having to purchase it. Its on the expensive side @ $99 but the biggest draw was how easy it is to update the logbook. Picked up a Ipod Touch after getting LogTenPro and decided to grab the LogTen App. I can now keep track of Duty time, perdiems and all the regular information that you need in your logbook right after my flight. When I get home, I just sync it with my Mac and everythings update. The App's also on the expensive side. @ $40 bucks it costs about as much as many other programs do.

I think the best feature are the updates. Noah at Coradine is really helpful with your questions and receptive of any suggestions. After getting the program nearly a year ago I've received tons of free updates for the Ipod app and the Mac software.

If you're interested check them out
http://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi ... e=stevessa

[bob sacamano]

Excel file.

[Crobe]

A question about grouping your entries. If you are flying multiple types and reg's and do a single entry for each day/week/month or year, what do u put in the a/c type and reg boxes? Wouldn't the ATPL logbook examiner have a conniption while spot checking you entires.

[Old Dog Flying]

Get a really big one or two and then you can have them bound together...and it could be used as a set ladder to reach the cookie jar. I have two of the old RCAF log books bound and will be filling the last page this year....from the first flight yet!

Barney