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7 Answers

CFI Logbook

Asked by: 3655 views General Aviation

Besides Foreflight, what type of logbook (physical) would anyone recommend for a brand new CFI?

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7 Answers



  1. PocketCFI on Feb 20, 2019

    This one:
    https://www.amazon.com/Jeppesen-JS506050-Professional-Pilot-Logbook/dp/B001MT32QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550691849&sr=8-1&keywords=jeppesen+professional+pilot+logbook

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  2. Russ Roslewski on Feb 20, 2019

    In my opinion, whatever logbook you’ve been using up to now will work just fine. I use the small Jeppesen logbook (not the giant Professional Pilot one), pretty much only because that was what the FBO sold when I first learned to fly. I’m now on my 4th.

    I don’t clutter up my logbook with a ton of details of what I did on each instructional flight – that stuff I put in a separate document (an Excel spreadsheet I made for that purpose).

    All I put in my logbook is the name of the person I taught, and of course the normal stuff like date and airplane and hours. So, for that, any logbook will work.

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  3. Gary Moore on Feb 20, 2019

    I gave up on paper a long time ago – I’m a fan of the SafeLog….

    http://www.dauntless-soft.com/products/Safelog/

    It’s easy to use – allows for uploads of pictures from the flight – has great mobile access 🙂

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  4. Matt J Adams on Feb 20, 2019

    I have a similar question for you guys…. What are you using to keep track of student endorsements? I was thinking about using a separate log book for that, what do you guys use?

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  5. Warren Webb Jr on Feb 20, 2019

    Matt – for dual lessons, I include my student’s name, flight and ground training details as necessary, and any student endorsements all included in the same entry. If I sign off for a written/checkride, etc, I make a note of that as the next entry in my logbook, and later add the results (i.e. passed first attempt on date xxxxxx). Personally I’d rather keep everything in one location.

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  6. Russ Roslewski on Feb 20, 2019

    Matt, I just use a spreadsheet. Date, Student Name, Endorsement (if any), Description of Training, and Remarks.

    I prefer this method over writing it in my logbook because I can type as much as I want. Paragraphs if I want (without my hand cramping!) Also, it’s easy to sort and filter by, for example, student name so I can easily see all the lessons with that student and what we did. Also lends itself to reminding me to contact former students in 2 years for flight reviews, etc.

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  7. KDS on Feb 21, 2019

    There is no perfect answer, but I\’ve been burned enough to give some tips on what can go wrong. I went to a computerized logbook. Then the company made upgrades that I didn\’t keep up with and went out of business. I did one massive print of that and saved it as a PDF.

    To my utter amazement, I also managed to have one of my physical logbooks disappear. I would have never noticed it except I was thinking about a particularly bad CFI I had many years earlier and I wanted to find his name. I went to the bookcase where the logbooks were kept and that one was missing and is still missing today.

    One other problem with computerized logbooks is how do you get the endorsements in there. I\’m lucky because with one exception, my stuff is all grandfathered. But, I have one endorsement for a launch method in a glider and if I had to find it, that would be a lengthy search.

    So, while there is no perfect solution, I would recommend this. Keep a paper logbook. Also, record everything in an Excel spreadsheet. Excel or what comes after it (like Lotus before it) will be around for as long as any of us can pass a flight physical. Put copious notes in the Excel file. Always think about the day you\’ll have to defend something in court while continuing to pray that day never comes.

    For endorsements, scan them and keep them in the same way you keep the Excel logbook.

    Of course, make backups to include offsite backups.

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