Lost logbook from forgotten flying school
 

Afternoon all,
As the saying goes, "better late then never" After 12 years, i finally undertaking my CPL. However my intial flying training was with the long gone Civil Flying School at Moorabbin.
I returned to Moorabbin shortly after Civil closed down to retrieve my logbook and as disappointed as I was to see its demise, my logbook too had gone.
My last flights were in 2006 with the CFI who i believe was Graham Hodges? Who then i believe went onto the RVAC.


What are the chances of me tracking down my logbook? let alone Graham who i'm sure is well retired?


Thanks all.

One thing that all pilots should learn early in a flying career is to protect your logbook at all times. That means not leaving a logbook at the flight school after you get your PPL. That book is more valuable than the family bible. The bible one can replace but once a logbook is gone it is gone.
Never leave it at a flight school unnecessarily, never leave it in your flight bag in your car (in case the bag gets stolen), keep it spotlessly neat and tidy, keep it up to date, do not write up ghost flights (false entries), use a standard or slim size logbook, the big thick ones get tatty over many years,
Use more than one line to write up a flight if need be. A log book is cheap to buy so why try and save space writing up the details of a flight.
Keep a logbook that others including your kids can read and understand in 20 years time and the next employer can read at the interview. Go easy on the abbreviations.


To not see a logbook left at a flight school 12 years ago means you have more chance of winning the lotto.

Go to Tasfast and ask them. Years ago I saw dozens of old log books on a bookshelf in a storeroom out the back. I doubt they would have been binned.

I think Graham Hodges retired after the demise of CFS.

It's a good idea to use your phone to photograph every page in your logbook occasionally and then send these photos to your Gmail/Hotmail account for backup.

Your log book is your personal possession. There is no legislative requirement for the flying school to insist you keep your log book on their premises either before or after you receive your PPL. Certainly bring your log book to the flying school for certification purpose if requested by flying school management or when flying that day - but always take it home afterwards.

Electronic logbooks are also good these days. I'm slowly populating one from scratch. They are good if you need to break down hours on types etc, quick and easy reports.

Agree with above comments, keep you paper logbooks in a safe place. If you have a safe at home I'd be putting it in there to keep it away from thieves and fire.

Thanks all. Indeed, in highsight all good ideas. However at the time, leaving my logbook at my flight school seemed the safest bet. In fact it was the opposite. It'll be around Moorabbin somewhere.

Interesting Centaurus, I happened to see around 250 - 300 log books in the old offices of a defunct flying school at Archerfield a few years back (not RQ). The new leaseholders of the building refused to allow them to be returned to the students and resisted any attempts to do so. One has to wonder what value they would be to anyone else other than the owner/student.

I would have thought CASA would want to know about that, surely it is illegal to retain someone else's logbook, it is a legal document?

I know CASA can get excited over Aircraft logbooks, but I did not think this was a CASA area to police.


But I don't expect that would worry them.

There's a security controlled aerodrome in the NSW Riverina that I've visited many times, over the years. The unmanned aero club has a welcoming clubhouse that is available for all of us visitors to use. On a bookshelf are the logbooks of many student pilots which visitors can freely access. I've always thought, perhaps that's not such a good idea?

A friend of mine backs up his logbook with copies sent to me.

This where CASA could beneficially step in, in my opinion....

CASA could perhaps require that unclaimed log books from defunct flying schools be forwarded to CASA for storage.

A similar system exists for client records of legal and accounting practices. They are run by the Law and Accounting institutions.

Not a good idea Sunny. Keep CAsA out of it.
Someone in Fort Fumble with time on their hands...as they do...will have a read, list all the unfinished lines and book mark the total penalty count..eg 31 lines not completed in full x 10 penalty points ( at whatever a PP is now days) gives a hit of $50 x 310 offences = $15,500. When the owner turns up for his /her ... ! ka-boom financially.
CAsA will see this as a gold mine.

A bit like those CAsA folk who like to browse flight video clips..could be few brownie points there...all in the name of "safety" of course.
And those who lives and livelihoods are destroyed in the process due to corrupted "investitagtions" ( eg J Quadrio )...no matter "safety" is all.
And on to the next fcuk up.

Old log books
 

I've lost count now of how many log books I've found for folks in my area. They start flying 20-30 years and give it away, then make a comeback. RAA offers them another choice today. For some, I know where many books are held from an old School and can rummage through them. I make it the students role to maintain their book's possession, I simply vet the entries until they are on their own. Last one went back to the UK would you believe.


Try and find someone from that era who might know how/where to look for you.

Log book lost
 

missing logbook
 

If you are currently undertaking training, have a chat to your CFI/HOO. If you previously held a PPL, you would be able to get the minimum hours for the licence at the time credited. The CFI/HOO may be able to certify additional hours on any other evidence that you have i.e. receipts etc, provided he/she can satisfy themselves, and is prepared to accept responsibility for their determination.

Alternatively, you may be able to contact [email protected] and see if your old PPL test form can be retrieved. That would have a summary of your hours at the flight test stage, and would probably result in you retaining more hours, as with most candidates, you probably had more than the minimums at test time.

Cheers. GB