Log Book Pro
 

Hi everyone!!
This is my first post here, so I guess I'll do a lil bit about me. I'm 20 years old and hold a Private Instrument Pilot Cert. I'm SLOWLY (financial woes) working to become a CFI. I recently got Logbook Pro thinking it was the way of the future and figured I might as well start it now. Anyway, a few questions came to mind.
1. How will I get endorsements in it? I already got my complex and high perf. Theyre in my old paper logbook. But how can an instructor sign on Logbook Pro? Would I just keep a paper logbook just for endorsements to be signed?
2. How can an instuctor sign period? lol For all the lessons I had, the instructor signs for each flight. On Logbook Pro would just his name, CFI number, and Exp. Date suffice?

There are no good official (i.e., FAA) answers to your questions and, IMO, no reliable unofficial ones other than to continue to maintain your paper logbook in tandem with your electronic one.

Hi!

If U R worried about it, it is best to keep your paper log while you are getting endorsements/signatures, etc.

Once you have them, you can scan them and add them to your elog. Keep your elog backed up in various physical places, including emailing your log to yourself so it is on a server. You can print your logbook whenever you need it.

cliff
LFW
PS-There are other programs that are cheaper, including free, that are not as good. If you are mac, there is Log10Pro, or something like that. LBPro won't work for mac, unless you use a software program to run windows on your mac.

Logbook pro does not eliminate the need for a paper logbook. Any required signatures/endorsements require paper. Technically there is no legal specification for a logbook...you could write it on a brick using a crayon, but it would have to be in writing.

You can use an e-logbook for recording routine flights, and keep the paper one just for endorsements, dual-received, etc.

Since we're on this subject, how do printed logs hold up in an interview? I've got the program, but I've never taken printed pages with me to an interview.

Theoretically, so can a check.

But just as I've never heard of a bank cashing a brick, I've never seen anything that suggests that "crayon on brick" is "manner acceptable to the Administrator" under FAR 61.51.

Personally, I want to be there the first time a pilot is asked to bring his flight records to the FSDO and brings a load of bricks. :D

During the last hiring wave some people would print out their e-logbook on nice paper and get it professionally bound. I never heard of anyone having issues with that. But of course you also need to bring your paper books with all of your endorsements and certificate/rating training...employers always want to see original paper records on that stuff.

Thanks Rick, I figured they'd want the originals as well. Just wondering how common it was.

It probably depends a lot on where you are at in your career. My airline tanked after ten years there - I handed my printed e-log (with copies of my endorsements included) to them at the interviews, mentioned I had my original paper logs with endorsements and such if they wanted to look. No one wanted anything more than the hardcopy of the e-log.

Coming into your first job or two, I can see them being more interested in seeing your paper logs.

I would do as others have suggested, keep a paper log for training and endorsements. Enter ALL of your flying into your e-log. Scan all endorsements and save them as PDF's. Email copies of these and your e-log backups to a Hotmail (or other such email account, one which holds your messages on the server). You are now somewhat protected against fire, flood, or other disasters which could result in the loss of your paper logs.

Take both your e-log and your paper logs to interviews, offer the e-log first, and the paper log upon request (do let them know it's immediately available). Unless you never make math errors and have flawless penmanship, the e-log is more likely to show the interviewer you are a person who pays close attention to details and cares about the quality of the product he presents.

Just my ever so humble thoughts on the matter...

True up to a point. But since there have been a few cases in the past of pilots at major airlines turning up with falsified aviation credentials I would not rule out the possibility that a major airline would want to see all of your documents going back to day one.