glideslopealive
13th Jun 2023, 11:52
Hello everyone,
please how long is a pilot log book required to be retained after the last entry/filling up? Also is there any regulation requiring you to have past pilot log books under the FAR, JAR and Nigerian CAR? I know for sure that you are required to keep a current log book at all times under many CARs. Thanks
I can't speak to the FAR, JAR, or Nigerian CARs, but given you've posted on the Canadian forums before, the answer in Canada is: it depends.
CAR 401.08 says that you need to maintain a personal log, but it does not say for how long you need to keep the record. 421.08 (the applicable standard) only talks about what to do if you lose the log.
CAR 401.05 talks about recency requirements. Ultimately, it boils down to what type of flying you're doing, but a conservative view says you've got to keep the logbook for 24 months from your last flight. This marries well with CAR 901.56 for drone operations, which says pilots of small remotely piloted aircraft have to keep their records for 24 months after the day of the last flight.
Now, this all assumes that you intend on flying again. If you're done and never want to fly again, then there is nothing to prove, ergo no reason to keep it except for sentimental reasons. However, if you're ever looking to fly again, move, or you're just not sure, keep it all. It's far too easy to have a logbook showing a total of 9,000 hours and to say the first 7,000 were in the previous book, but not be able to show that book to anyone when you need to, and that would be a silly way to lose out on a job.