Looking for new logbook

[Odai]

Hello,

I'm looking for a new logbook to record my PPL training flights in. Unfortunately my current one is messy and I don't want to send it off to the CAA if I manage to pass my skills test.

One of the problems I had with mine was the tiny size of the entry boxes - I'm using the basic Pooleys private pilot's flying logbook. There is just hardly any space at all for example to write anything in the "remarks" section about the exercises done, or endorsements etc.

Any suggestions for books with a slightly larger format? This one looks ideal but unfortunately it is out of stock everywhere it seems:

Pooleys JAR-FCL Professional Logbook- New Ed - Detailed item view - Leading Flight Equipment, Pilot Supplies, Aircraft Equipment, Aviation Headsets


Thanks

Odai.

[Whopity]

Perhaps you should learn to write smaller or only enter essential details. Dozens of others have managed for years using the small Pooley's log book. It is probably the most common in the UK. Has an instructor given you any help with how to fill it in?

A log book is a legal document and far to many people have the idea that you can reproduce it at will just because it doesn't look nice. ANO Art 79:

Detailed information about each flight during which the holder of the log acted either
as a member of the flight crew of an aircraft or for the purpose of qualifying for the
grant or renewal of a licence under this Order must be recorded in the log as soon as
reasonably practicable after the end of each flight.

So if you reproduce it, you are not complying with the spirit of the regulation!

[Heston]

Well I can understand your desire for neatness but...
If you get a new logbook and copy everything into it neatly the CAA are going to doubt the veracity of the entries (otherwise known as "Parker" hours, after the pen). Also presumably your instructor has been signing the lesson entries - you'd have to persuade him/her to sign again.
Messy is good - it will be a much better memento of your flying as time goes on.
You don't have to restrict yourself to using just the space on one line - if you want to enter a lot of useful stuff after a particular flight just use the next line. There's no reason you shouldn't do this.

H

[Heston]

And what do you mean "IF I manage to pass my skills test"? You mean "WHEN I pass my skills test"

H

[Talkdownman]

Originally Posted by Heston

If you get a new logbook and copy everything into it neatly the CAA are going to doubt the veracity of the entries (otherwise known as "Parker" hours, after the pen). Also presumably your instructor has been signing the lesson entries - you'd have to persuade him/her to sign again. Messy is good - it will be a much better memento of your flying as time goes on.

Bit of a dilemma if one's logbook has found its way into the wrong hands and suffered damage such as indelible graffiti...

[S-Works]

A logbook is like a living creature.... It is a record of your aviation highs and lows and reflects your journey along a fascinating path. It does not have to be some perfect neat tome. In years to come you will look back with pride and nostalgia at each of those entries.

[Level Attitude]

The only reason for columns is to make adding up easier. Pre-PPL you will only have entries in one of two 2 columns (P1 and Pu/t) per flight. Once you have entered the times in these columns you can write what you like across the rest of the row - Remarks don't have to go only in the "Remarks Column"

[abgd]

Bit of a dilemma if one's logbook has found its way into the wrong hands and suffered damage such as indelible graffiti...

Small children? Or teenagers?

[BackPacker]

Bit of a dilemma if one's logbook has found its way into the wrong hands and suffered damage such as indelible graffiti...

Assuming the writing is still legible, get another logbook. Tally up the totals in your old logbook and transport these into the new logbook as the first line, or something like that. Put your signature next to it and a statement "hours flown from <date> to <date> - see logbook #1".

In the very odd case that the CAA or somebody else will want to see your logbook #1, send it along, together with a cover letter explaining what happened. But most likely you'll find for most, if not all of the experience you need to prove in the future, it'll be contained in logbook #2 anyway.

You don't have to restrict yourself to using just the space on one line - if you want to enter a lot of useful stuff after a particular flight just use the next line.

Agree. Use as much space as you need and just record the next flight on whatever happens to be the next empty line. Although there's a point where things do become plain silly: If you need a full page to record the particulars of each and every flight, you've probably gone overboard a bit.

[ShyTorque]

Very recently the CAA announced that under EASA, a logbook no longer has to be in paper format.

[Heston]

Assuming the writing is still legible, get another logbook. Tally up the totals in your old logbook and transport these into the new logbook as the first line, or something like that. Put your signature next to it and a statement "hours flown from <date> to <date> - see logbook #1".

Not an option for the OP because he is currently training for his PPL - the logbook that is submitted to the CAA needs to show entries for each flight exercise endorsed by his instructor. Under other circumstances this is perfectly acceptable of course.

[BackPacker]

True. Whatever he does, he'll have to send the current logbook to the CAA this once as his PPL endorsements and flights are in there.

The only way around this is to start from scratch altogether. Which means visiting all the instructors again and begging for a new signature.

[MOREOIL]

What on earth are you trying to get into the remarks space? Other than the ex number. If you need to write war and peace after each flight get a diary.

[ZuluPapa]

That is exactly what I did. In fact, during the last week of my training just after I had completed my mock exam, I got a new logbook and painstakingly transferred every entry across.

Until your logbook has been signed by your CFI and submitted to the CAA you can change it, no probs. The CAA will only look through the remarks to see that exercises 1-18 have been completed. They don't give a monkeys about the wax or any other malarkey you find necessary to record.

Send yourself an email after each flight and keep a record of your experiences there...

[Odai]

Thanks for all the help guys.

My handwriting isn't great and as a result a while back I made the decision just to use the logbook as a 'rough copy', with the intention of buying a new one (with larger boxes) after my skills test and copying everything over. My instructor reccommended the same.

With regard to signatures, it won't be an issue as there are basically only 4 or 5 pages to sign IIRC, so it wouldn't take 10 seconds to do. I have only ever had one instructor anyway.

With regard to the remarks, I'm simply putting in exercise numbers and nav waypoints as per my instructor's advice.

Looking through the pages, it would be great if I could just salvage this copy. The problem is, when I decided just to get a new logbook (a few months back) I became lax with the presentation, started making abbreviations up for remarks, using ICAO designators instead of full names for airfields etc.

However, if the CAA do indeed only need to see that all the exercises have been completed and using ICAO codes for airfields is acceptable, then I might be able to salvage this copy and save myself the hassle/expense. The exercise numbers are readable, and so are the hour totals etc.

[jxk]

Odai - I agree

The AFE logbook is pretty bad too. The SINGLE ENGINE in COMMAND column is right in the middle of the two pages were most of my entries are. Some countries need you record cross country hours, t/os ldgs etc so try and detail (and total) as much detail as you can just in case you ever want to apply for a foreign licence. I also like to record who I flew with, it makes interesting reading and brings back many happy reminiscences years later.

[Pilotage]

If you want more space, just buy a commercial logbook. There's no rule that says you have to have a PPL logbook for PPL flying, you can use anything that suits you.

The Pooleys commercial (non-JAR) one is quite good, as is the CAA logbook. I've been using the former for a couple of decades, and more of that time was as a PPL than a commercially qualified pilot.

Transair or Pooleys sell a selection - just go into a shop and pick one.

As for copying up - a few tens of hours are neither here nor there, and just hang onto the original logbook in case you're ever challenged. CAA are however very unlikely to challenge you so long as the course summary statement by your school are original, which they will be.

P

[Odai]

Hello,

Sorry to bump this thread, but I think I may go for this logbook:

ASA SP-6 Pilot Master Logbook - Detailed item view - Leading Flight Equipment, Pilot Supplies, Aircraft Equipment, Aviation Headsets

Any feedback on the above? It seems to cover everything I could possibly need to log, whether commercial or private.

The only thing I can't figure out is why many of the columns are split into one large space and one smaller.

Alternatively, I guess an electronic/online logbook would be considerably safer and more efficient. There's just the question of how readily the CAA/EASA would accept this?

Thanks,

Odai.

[jxk]

The only thing I can't figure out is why many of the columns are split into one large space and one smaller.

Hrs : Mins (decimal or 5 min increments) peut-être

[abgd]

As an aside, I understand it's allowable to use tippex in logbooks? This seems to me unusual in a legal document.