log book gone

Mclovin · Post by **Mclovin** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 11:59 am

Ok here is the deal. My car got broken into a few nights ago, and the bastard not oly took a pair of shoes, CDs, change, but also my flight bag which contained my headset, licence and my log book. Now I was just wondering if anyone else on here has lost a log book? It is my second log book, in that it contains 400 hours of flight time of my 1000+.

My concern is that I am applying for jobs and was wondering what to tell a potential employer if they ask to see my log book? Will this hurt me in getting a job? Do a lot of employers ask to see your log book? And what am I supposed to do about applying for an ATPL?

I know that I have a lot of questions, but I really need some advice.

And yes I know Im an idiot for not keeping a back up

The Old Fogducker · Post by **The Old Fogducker** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:12 pm

As much as this recommendation will set the hairs on the back of Cat Driver's neck on end and cause him to begin producing excess bile and hijack another thread telling us how corrupt every single person in the country who works for DOT is morally bankrupt, I say contact the folks at your nearest DOT General Aviation section and explain the problem. They have considerable experience with this sort of thing and can tell you how to go about getting your times rebuilt.

Exact same thing happened to me .. some scumbag broke into my car and grabbed my headset, logbook, E6B, charts, the whole shebang in addition to a bunch of cheques that I was taking to the bank for deposit.

Boy I wish I could have caught him and provided a little frontier justice otherwise known as vigilante action. In those days ... being fresh off the single Otter, I could have laid a very painful licking on the little piece of crap. Oh, sorry ... not politically correct these days ... I meant to say I would have accompanied him to his counsellor and expalined that I am aware of his poor childhood and lack of things which made him choose the wrong path, but that if the government would just increase his monthly payment, beer wouldn't be as hard to buy.

You have a few hours of frustrating work ahead, but it will have a proper outcome.

Fog

SkyKing · Post by **SkyKing** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:28 pm

I know this isn't going to help information_x-ray, little to late......but, for everyone else............

It absolutely boggles my mind how careless some pilots seem to be with with three of their most valuable possessions....headset, licences and log book. They are your lively hood, and it must be a pain in the ass to go through this. Why would you leave them in your car? Cars get broken into, stolen etc. I don't leave my cds in my car, let alone my david clarks! The log book is the real pain, I know a number of people who have lost their log book or had it stolen. MONTHS of work follow, just to re-write, if you were smart enough to keep a back up. Anyway, I'll stop the rant, lets just have some common sense folks, it will save everyone HUGE headaches down the road!

ice ice baby · Post by **ice ice baby** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:53 pm

If it's possible you might be able to go through the journey logs for the last 400 hrs if it's only been a few aircraft at one employer. Also your employer might have some other sort of records. Some computer programs used to track parts in AC also have the log book data of every pilot.

Wadd · Post by **Wadd** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:59 pm

SkyKing wrote: Why would you leave them in your car? Cars get broken into, stolen etc.

What would you suggest, putting them in a safety deposit box guarded by dogs and motion sensored machineguns?

Seriously man, he didn't leave it ontop of his car... he put it IN his car, and locked them in, what more can you expect? Its rough that he got them stolen, but it isn't his fault.. it's the fault of the ass who stole them. Saying that cars "get broken into" doesn't help anyone. Houses get broken into, does that mean you shouldn't keep a tv there, let alone your all important flight bag... please.

Be a little more productive then critizing a fellow pilot who just had some idiot ruin his day.

Swamp Donkey · Post by **Swamp Donkey** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 1:32 pm

Why does anybody carry their logbook with them?

Do yourself a favor, leave it at home! Buy a cheap one or use a piece of paper. Record your time for the day, and then fill out your good logbook later!

TTJJ · Post by **TTJJ** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 1:47 pm

As it is "only" 400hrs, which is 2 years of VERY slow work at the outside, I would just do a journey log/flight sheet search. If it was at a company/school now far away I would consider paying a secretary or starving pilot at the place to do it for me.

It is a drag. I had it happen to me. Sooooo......for the last 8 years I have been using a logbook program called Logbook Pro on my laptop. It prints out lovely logbooks and is really helpful filling out those silly (but real) job application questions such as." how much multi-engine instrument time on blue airplanes on the second tuesday of each month over water do you have in the last 57 days?"

If, God forbid, you had your computer stolen, just reinstall the whole shebang on another one from backup.

I took nearly 2 years to input all my times, but I sure sleep better knowing that the times are safe.

It is in an American Jepp. format but you can template it into a Canadian one.

Jaques Strappe · Post by **Jaques Strappe** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:34 pm

X-Ray

Bad luck, sorry to hear it. Be assured that you are not the only one who has gone through this. TC, I hope, will be able to guide you. It may simply be an affidavid, I don't know.

As a back up there is a web based log system to store your info. For anyone interested it is at:

http://www.planelog.com

JS

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 4:11 pm

I was just gonna suggest what "Jaques" said. Obviously this info is of little help to your current situation but for future reference, back it up with computer software, I use "LogBook Pro", I think there are some free ones online, others there are a small fee to purchase but definitely worth it in the end. Not to mention, the software will do those calculations for you that you don't have columns for in the book, for example Night Cross-Country. The more hours you log, the more useful you'll find this kind of software.

LJD

Snagmaster E · Post by **Snagmaster E** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 4:23 pm

Wadd wrote:
SkyKing wrote: Why would you leave them in your car? Cars get broken into, stolen etc.
What would you suggest, putting them in a safety deposit box guarded by dogs and motion sensored machineguns?

Seriously man, he didn't leave it ontop of his car... he put it IN his car....

I pretty much agree. Don't leave it in plain sight though - put it in your trunk. No sense in advertising it. Sometimes if people see it, they want it.
If you have a car (like I do) with a trunk release switch that is lockable, then that makes it a lot better.

Or you could get a security system with a device like they have in south africa to prevent carjacking: A quater inch - or was it half - blunt steel blade that swings out from under the doors and would easily break the frigger's shins. Teach the little bastard (or -ess) a friggin thing or two. "You take my DC's and logbook, I take your kneecaps"

'Course that's just an idea.

Jaques Strappe · Post by **Jaques Strappe** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:06 pm

Sounds to me like you could benefit also from the Trunk Monkey Theft Retrieval system:

http://www.trunkmonkeyad.com/4wmv.htm

KIAS · Post by **KIAS** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:44 pm

TJ:

Regarding the Canadian template that you have for Logbook Pro... is it some sort of add-on that you downloaded or did you manually customize the fields to make it look and feel like a Canadian logbook ?

SkyKing · Post by **SkyKing** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:50 pm

Wadd, as Swamp Donkey and snagmaster_e say, leave it at home, that's what I would expect! Common Sense. Especially if one does not have a backup. Don't get me wrong, I do feel sorry for information_x-ray, that sucks.

Wadd, where do you live, what do you leave in your car? Wallet, signed blank cheques, credit cards, gold bars? PM me, I'll keep it a secret. Is your car a safe place? My house, in my desk is definately safer.

Should we have a poll? Titled "Where do you keep your log book, licences, and headset?"

I'm just trying to shine some light on this, and as the beginning of my original posts says "I know this isn't going to help information_x-ray, little to late......but, for everyone else............ " So, don't tell me to be more productive and not critisize a fellow pilot, as I was not doing that.

Houses do get broken into, but not as frequently as cars. And when they do, jewlery, cash, dvd players, etc. are the target; not someone's log book tucked away in a desk or closet. A bag in plain view in the back seat of a car is going to get snatched. The thief does't care what's in it, it all goes together.

Give your head a shake Wadd, as I said from the start, it's common sense.

Flying Low · Post by **Flying Low** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 6:05 pm

OK...let's see! I'll start the survey.

Paper logbook stays at home.

Computer logbook also at home with CD back up somewhere else.

DC's in locker at work.

Licence is in the inside pocket on my work jacket (will have to find summer place for it soon).

Dub · Post by **Dub** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 6:05 pm

I'm just starting out but so far as I've filled pages I'm scanning them into my PC. Once you do this you could just hold them on your HD or upload to secure redundant storage etc... Not really very much work and it makes your log book only worth the paper its printed on if ya lose it.

SkyKing · Post by **SkyKing** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 6:16 pm

Ahhh, Flying Low has got the ticket! I hope that's how most people think.

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 6:31 pm

TJ wrote: It prints out lovely logbooks and is really helpful filling out those silly (but real) job application questions such as." how much multi-engine instrument time on blue airplanes on the second tuesday of each month over water do you have in the last 57 days?"

its funny cause its true!

Northern Flyer · Post by **Northern Flyer** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:45 pm

Sky king, you sure sound like someone I used to know.

I've oned vehicles for years, in total 36 combined years, and they have never been broken into. I don't even lock the doors, hell half the time the keys are in the ignition. You just have to move to a better neibourhood.

Right Seat Captain · Post by **Right Seat Captain** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:51 pm

This isn't an answer to the original question, but an idea on logbook loss prevention. Personally, I photocopy a bunch of blank pages of my logbook, and I fill those out first as I do flights. When the page is full, then I transcribe it to my logbook. Not only does it prevent errors that are corssed out in your logbook, you can keep the pages in a seperate location than your logbook. I keep my logbook at home, but if for some reason I need to carry it somewhere, I always have the photocopies to fall back on if it is lost.

R2000/1830 · Post by **R2000/1830** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:14 pm

Sorry to everyone who has lost a logbook. Just wondering, why are you keeping your logbook in your flight bag. I thought you were not to fly with it and always leave it at home. Anyway I have one of the little $2.95 red logbooks that I transfer to my real logbook at home once every 3 or 4 months.