Log books, Pilot and Aircraft etc - What do you use?

So here's a question...

Log books - What do you use?  Electronic, or paper based?

If Electronic, which ones, and both for Pilot and Aircraft!  Maybe you use a spreadsheet, or maybe you designed your own sheet!  

I currently use a sheet that I have designed, and it's in a binder (for my aircraft logs) my pilot log is currently in a tradition log book.  In this day though, it makes sense to go electronic, but not sure which is good or not.

Discuss!!!

I do the opposite, I have a self designed aircraft log book that I had permanently bound. Still much cheaper that buying one and I can eliminate a lot of unnecessary parts.

Pilot log book I do electronically and bind as needed. I'm not 100 % positive but I think the aircraft log book (VH reg) had to be bound while the pilot log book just had to be printed if CASA want to see it.

May be different for RAA though.

Mike

SAAA logbook for the aircraft and traditional log book for me.

Yeah - I am RAA.  They provide a log book sheet for the plane, but it's ugly!  I have my maintenance logs - but I am only talking about Time in Service etc.

I was thinking there might be a good all in one solution for plane and pilot, electronically!

How do you get required entries onto your electronic record?   Certified Joe Blow is proficient in magic carpet navigation signed  JC  CFI of Holier than Most Flying School , etc It would also be quite easy to "fiddle" with it.  I'd go for a hard bound copy where a summary of the previous book is in the front of the subsequent one. . Must be more generally well regarded by prospective employers etc, I would think.   Nev

Im with you,  BirdDog.

I use a traditional hard cover pilots log in combination with self designed flight logs sheets which i keep in a folder in the aircraft.  I wouldn't mind backing up my pilots log in electronic form,  but at present Ive just photographed it page by page (still on first log book) as a backup.

Im  dubious about switching to a solely electronic log book. Log books have such significance in the aviation community.  Ive seen my Dad's old log books from the 1940's, and they basically look identical to what my wife and I use today.  Logs are a real institution. Some of the old hands on this site will have  multiple log books  that tell the whole story of their aviation career. Some of the best logs I have seen have little photographs of aircraft types as well as other quirky things entered in them. I always thought that a pilots log was an official document like a passport,  which limited what you could legally enter in it, but apparently not. I love paper logs!

I can understand why commercial pilots flying high hours might favour electronic logs for convenience, but I still enjoy making entries in my log by hand...

My personal gripe is my aircraft maintenance log,  which for some inexplicable reason was established in a tawdry RAA log booklet (circa 2005).  Not only does it look cheap and nasty for RAA,  but since we've re-registered VH  its become particularly unsightly for GA.  However, as  my aircraft is heavily modified,  I couldn't contemplate  the hassle of trying to change or renew  my maintenance logbooks.  

I would advise anybody bringing a new aircraft onto the RAA register to get a proper log book from the outset.

Cheers

Alan  

Yep!  I hear ya Alan.  

My maintenance logs are really good actually.  It's a nice thick logbook! 

The reason I raise this, is the recent bush fires.   I live in rural country, that thankfully did not get affected by fires - BUT - if my house went up, and I was not home to gather what I needed, everything to do with my bird would have been gone!  All the logs etc etc.   The only one I keep in the aircraft permanent is the manufacture's handbook.  My Pilot Log and TTIS logs are in my flight bag, which is in my office downstairs.

I could only image how hard life would be if I lost all my logs!  ?

Yep!  I hear ya Alan.  

 

My maintenance logs are really good actually.  It's a nice thick logbook! 

 

The reason I raise this, is the recent bush fires.   I live in rural country, that thankfully did not get affected by fires - BUT - if my house went up, and I was not home to gather what I needed, everything to do with my bird would have been gone!  All the logs etc etc.   The only one I keep in the aircraft permanent is the manufacture's handbook.  My Pilot Log and TTIS logs are in my flight bag, which is in my office downstairs.

 

I could only image how hard life would be if I lost all my logs!  ?

 

BirdDog

Yeah the loss of your home  would be a  a valid reason to back up logs online. But doesn't a LAME hold your maintenance logs? Or do you do all maintenance yourself?

A related point, which was completely new to me.  My LAME told me that its illegal to fly your aircraft with your maintenance log on board.  One day I flew across to his airfield carrying it with me  and he gave me a scolding.  It makes sense when you think about it!

So you have to keep aircraft and log separate.

I think the new RAA maintenance logs are much better. AUF had just rebranded as RAA in 2005 and so I think my maintenance log is basically a rebranded AUF one. It looks the kind of thing you'd have for a Wheeler Scout! 

Alan 

I have a standard Pilot hard cover log book which I keep at home and my aircraft hard cover log book which is kept in the aircraft as is required. Both have all my flights logged in them except if I fly another aircraft, only the pilots logbook is completed. I can't be bothered with electronic logs. I've scanned most of the aircraft log book for proof etc when I have made changes. I could do this with my Pilot log book too but haven't bothered. Anyway my pilot logs predate by decades electronic inventions.

BirdDog

 

Yeah the loss of your home  would be a  a valid reason to back up logs online. But doesn't a LAME hold your maintenance logs? Or do you do all maintenance yourself?

 

A related point, which was completely new to me.  My LAME told me that its illegal to fly your aircraft with your maintenance log on board.  One day I flew across to his airfield carrying it with me  and he gave me a scolding.  It makes sense when you think about it!

 

So you have to keep aircraft and log separate.

 

I think the new RAA maintenance logs are much better. AUF had just rebranded as RAA in 2005 and so I think my maintenance log is basically a rebranded AUF one. It looks the kind of thing you'd have for a Wheeler Scout! 

 

Alan 

 

I do my own maintenance.   My maintenance logs stay here at the house.  Not in the aircraft.   I have the current Maintenance Release sheet in the TTIS folder, and my pilots logs in the aircraft when I fly though.

Carrying your log (books) with you is not something we SHOULD "insist on" as they do get worn/damaged and like the  aircraft's log would be lost if the plane was (even if you get out yourself).. ALL things weight something and every bit counts in an ultralight

    It's a legal document to have and keep one ACCURATE records. High hours doesn't mean lots of entries as syd- "anywhere" in one aircraft only takes one line and may be 16 hours with 4-5 lines for a months flying. An instructor may fly with 9 students in one day in  different aircraft and take easily 1/2 a page for a busy day. . If you backed up and stored summaries. You may lose data but not the essential summary of experience and types.

  When people show up with no records It does pose  some issues. There are plenty of instances of falsified log books and claims to hold licences that they don't  and never did.  Like some degrees, etc. Nev.

For those that are interested, here is my custom logging sheets I use for the bird!

Feel free to use as you wish!

Aircraft Logbook.xlsx

A LAME telling you it's illegal to have the maintenance logbook on board the aircraft?

More aviation folklore/bull$hit.

A third of the way into my 9th log book over a 40 year period, still fill it out after each days flying or sim, I also have memorable photos in it, tells your aviation story, definitely impressed my interview panel when applying for my current job.

what opens this: xisx

spacesailor

Got it , Thanks.

spacesailor

I use the RAAus maintenance logbook for the Corby and the SAAA logbook for the RV4. They both do the job but I find the RAAus one is not clear in its headings, so they get ignored.

I use the red maintenance release for both planes to be carried in the plane.

I don't know if it is illegal to carry the maintenance log in the plane, but it is not a good idea to.

I have a sale of my RV organised and the new owner will want to see the logs before he takes possession. I have made a full electronic copy all in jpeg format, to leave at home and take the paper docs with the plane.

As for pilot logbooks I just use the commercially available ones.

You can purchase fireproof satchels for your logbooks that will help logbooks survive crashes and resultant fires. It's important to ensure they really are fireproof though, and not just "fire-resistant".

The best fireproof satchels are made of fibreglass coated with silicone.