Wannabes and logbooks

[Tee]

To those who are making (or have made) the transition from PPL to CPL/ATPL, at what point did you decide to give up the PPL logbook and change to one of the larger 'professional' ones?

[P.Pilcher]

When my first (P.P.L. size) logbook was full I bought another. As I was instructing (you could on a P.P.L. in those days) my next logbook filled up so fast that I decided to by a commercial size one. I have been using commercial size ones ever since.

[Gin Slinger]

my Pooleys JAR FCL one is like a ****ing brick and the spaces for entry could probably take 30 years of EasyRyan-ing, however the cover looks a ****ing mess after 2 months of cycling 3 miles a day from my hotel to the flight school in FL.

My verdict on Pooleys JAR FCL logbooks: *****.

[Non Iron Chippy]

I was given a full and proper 'big book' as a gift when I qualified, and have refused to put an entry into it until my first paid hour.

[Tinker]

At the end of the day a log book is nothing more than a record of your flights. You could write it on a bit of toilet paper if you really wanted. The fact that there is a ppl log book and a cpl log book available in this country I find ridiculous. A PPL can get an IR and a CPL is little more than a PPL but done to a slightly higher standard so what is the point of having two types of books.
If you want to transfer everything from your PPL log book to your 'CPL' log book I'd do it sooner rather than later as it is a real pain. Otherwise I suggest changing over at a specific momement in your trainning, ie at the start of your IMC rating, at the start of your hour building' the start of your CPL trainning or as someone has mentioned, the start of your first paid job.
What ever log book you choose should be one that ultimately aids you in filling out the CAA's forms when it comes to licence issue etc so theoreticaly that should be the Pooleys JAR FLC log book. I used the old CAA log book and that worked for me. I also made up a template on 'ms Excel' to aid me with the totaling of hours etc. It's a usefull back up if you lose your log book.

[worzel]

I did my ppl in the states with an American logbook. As I was working towards a cpl I changed my logbook to a uk comercial one as soon as I got back and started flying in the uk.

I agree with Tinker that you need a logbook that will help you fill in the forms. The problem with this logbook (CAA CAP 407) is that you cannot record enough information. You'd have thought that the CAA would include columns for all of the things they were going to ask you when you apply for your license but oh no, you end up spending hours with your calculator trying to work out how many hours you flew cross-country, at night, asymetric, while wearing a blue shirt!

I've drawn up my own spreadsheet with hundreds of columns, although there is software you can buy which is very good.

worzel

[GearUp CheerUp]

I swapped my small Pooleys log book for a commercial one when it was full which (coincidently) was when I got a flying job. Sadly though the new one, which is to the CAA approval has no provision to differentiate between single engine and multi engine time. If and when it gets full Ill buy a new one with a better format.

As Tinker says, it doesn't matter which sort you use, Ive seen PPL holders with a top of the range Jeppesen log book with green vellum pages and gold tooling in the leather cover and Ive flown with senior training captains who's current book is a dog eared cardboard covered notebook.