Log Books
My squadron has just recently imposed “is to/are to” guidelines with regard to the completion of flying log books. Perhaps not such a bad idea on the face of it, everyone completes their log books in exactly the same way, conformity and all that, however, is it really necessary to radically change the way log books, and in particular the monthly summary, are formatted, when the previous format has been used for 5/10/15/20 years or more? I have always taken care to ensure that each page is completed in the same way as the previous, and now the new format looks sh!*8. Another of the imposed rules is that we are no longer allowed to use the “Spare” column for keeping a running total of total flying hours. Instead we have to keep a running total for total flying hours on current type, information which is available in annual summaries.
For most rear crew personnel the flying log book is not worth much more than the paper it is written on, a reference document for all the nice places HMG has sent you during your time in the forces, and something to bore your grand-children with. In fact I have probably spent the equivalent of 3/4 weeks completing my log book over the years, time I am sure that could have been more productively used. I also know that most, if not all, the people I work with have similar thoughts.
The questions I have are
1. Is it just our squadron that is afflicted with these new rules, or does it extend to station, or even RAF/MOD wide? Perhaps there is a DCI somewhere that stipulates how to complete a flying log book?
2. Do the people that come up with these bright ideas have nothing better to do? From what I understand, the ruling here has come from a very senior level, and perhaps from even higher off-station? I would suggest that someone is getting paid far too much for coming up with pointless ideas.
3. I am being deliberately vague about my location because I do not want to be on the wrong end of a witch-hunt, but has anyone else been subjected to similar such rules? If you are on the same squadron as me you will know what I am talking about, but nil returns required please.
Rant over for now, but even more annoyed having had to type this message out a second time because it got lost when I tried to post it first time.