So I lost my first log book to a small fire a few months back.

Has anyone gone to an interview with out the first book, if so what did you bring to show your hours stood up?

 

Ouch. For future reference, many of us keep original logbooks in a fire-proof safe. The cheap alternative is to double-ziploc-bag them and store them in the back of your freezer. Hopefully thieves won't look there, and the freezer insulation will protect them from most fires.

Your problem is more severe at the entry level, but might impact you for the rest of your career. Airlines like original logbooks because it helps validate your life story...they do not want to hire ex-drug runners, terrorists, or those who have falsified their training/experience. Even after 10 years at a regional, a major does not want to hire a pilot who falsified his initial training records.

You will want to create as much of a papertrail as possible...

It sounds hard, but if you did all of your training recently, try to reconstruct ALL of your logbook based on CFI and school records. Get all your CFI's to sign all entries and redo all endorsements...you will be buying some beer, but it will be worth it. I helped several folks do this when I was a flight school CP.

If that's not practical...
- Get your last 8710 from the FAA.
- Get copies of all school records.
- Get letters from from your school(s) and instructors describing what, when, and where you did your training...maybe notarized.
- Get letters from the DPE's who did your checkrides.
- Reconstruct your training in as much detail as possible. If there are gaps, make note of that.
- Include any failed checkrides! If you gloss over those, it will reinforce the suspicion that you have something to hide.

Anticipate a suspicious reception at an interview, you may have to work through that, but don't get flustered over the logboook. Good Luck.

 

The above advice is good and I agree. Just want to add to not forget any and all endorsments you have. You may need to go on a few flights to get another high performance and complex endorsements.

 

Thanks guys

I will get started on doing all of the above

 

to add to ricks great post, just be alittle more careful in the future. i know it isn't your fault but once you get them reconstructed take care of them. this might be a good time to get an electronic logbook since you need to re-enter everything. i've got one and back it up on two memory sticks, and i keep my original logbooks in a safe deposit box at my bank for $40 a year. never can be to careful.

 

I was robbed and mine was taken. I was already on my second logbook so I just took that one in. I had also gotten my CFII while on my second one so I just took the 8710 in. That counts since it's an official FAA record. So no worries if you're in that situation. Just walk in with what you have and be honest.

Since then I've gone 100% digital with my logbooks. No more writing them. I'll take it to Kinkos and get it printed if I have another job lined up. It's more accurate, easier to read, and you can email yourself copies.

 

8710's are perfectly legal records of your flight time. However...many employers are looking for more than a legal total. Paper logbooks, especially the original ones with all endorsements, provide a lot of additional detail...

Are you a slob?
Does your math add up?
Do you have a large amount of less-than-quality time (SP, ride-along, etc)?
Did you fail a lot of checkrides?
Did you have a gap in currency at any point?
Etc, Etc.

 

Yes but if you don't have it you don't have it. Take what you can get.

 

Hey dont stress out about it! I had my first logbook stolen out of my car! over 1500hrs in that logbook. I was ****ed! Go electronic! I have logbook pro now and back it up on cd-rom every so often. Last time I interviewed I just took the logbook pro .PDF file to kinkos and they printed it off on that same Jeppeson green paper and binded it. I just stuck my 8710 in the front. The guys interviewing me understood my situation and really didnt care. I also made them laugh by having a video of the guys breaking into my car and walking off with my flight bag! lol Rumor has it the guy that broke into my car now works at Mesa! lol Just kidding! But hey dont stress about it and start a new book!

 

Don't forget, CD's can burn, too! So can jump drives, and hard drives, and anything else having to do with a computer. I upload my backup file to my gmail account every so often. Hopefully my computer and googles computers won't all crap out on the same day!