Every military pilot has the right to a copy of his flying records upon retirement or his departure from the military. And I can't even imagine that a company would not prefer that military record to a pen and ink log book. But, if a military guy wants to keep a civilian flight log, I'd suggest that it be made from the military record. Otherwise there's the possibility of having two records showing differing information. Imagine the field day a company looking at both would have with that candidate.

 

Jetjok: Not to get into a ****ing contest, but in my service they didn't track your flight time electronically until I was well past the halfway mark of my career. There was no official record of my flight time other than the logbook that I filled out and the Ops boss signed every 6 months. Not every service is the same as the AF, thus my comments about not every "military" pilot gets a form 5.

 

Every flying squadron has an office dedicated to recording and tracking both individual and total unit flying time on a monthly and annual basis.

Part of the 'customer service' they provide is access to your flight records and printouts of every sortie since pilot training if you desire.

The Form 5 no longer exists (at least for the AF), it has been replaced by the Flying History Report. Same information, different title.

 

That is nice of the AF to do that for you. What is so hard about keeping a logbook to document what you did on a flight and who you flew with?

Does that printout include the rest of the crew and where you went and what you did?

If so, I retract. That is VERY good info to have so that you can work on your stories for the interview and track guys you flew with a long time ago. That info comes in real handy when trying to get or give a recommendation.

I go back and review my logbooks to recall particular flights with guys who are looking for recs and they are quite useful.

 

The FHR only tracks times, unfortunately. As far as keeping a logbook goes, it's something that was never stressed mainly because it would be considered redundant by most of the line pilots. Also, most of the leadership wouldn't tell a new pilot to start keeping a log so that they can make it easier on themselves if they decide to leave the AF early

All things considered, I wish I had. Well, hindsight is 20/20, isnt it?

 

My comments were based on your original statement. Since I didn't fly for the Navy, I didn't know that they don't track pilots' flying hours. You were suggesting that AF guys keep a logbook, and I was suggesting that they didn't need one, because the Air Force did that work for you. However, I don't believe that they track where you were flying to and from, nor do they track who your other crewmembers were. In my case, as in a lot of others, I didn't have any crewmembers, just flight members, and believe it or not, I can and do remember most of them. As with most of us, I suspect, I might forget a good guy I flew with, but I'm quite sure I'd remember the bad ones.

 

Jetjok,

Is that a 72 or 73 911 in your avatar?

 

Neither, it's a 1968 912 Soft Window Targa.

 

When I received a copy of my AF flying times, about 25% was missing. I mean not on there anywhere. Another 10% was inaccurate. My personal logbook was my saving grace. Don't count on any 1 or 2 striper to buy that "lottery ticket" for you! Buy it yourself! Keep track of your own times.

 

I always advise young pups just starting their AF careers to keep logbooks, but not only for "the interview" one day down the road.

Anyone who's lost a bro in a mishap or flown with a guy who's flown West knows how cool it is to have a record of your flights with them. I've got cable arrestments at alert sites, pond crossings watching the Hale Bopp comet, and approaches to minimums (again and again) from flying in Germany. Since I don't keep a journal, my old logbook is the closest thing to a memory chest I have. Also fun to see former students and where they end up. I've solo'd more than a few who have gone on to FWIC (or WIC these days...) or the F-22, and flown with dozens of guys who are now around the globe in a lot of different places. Several of my former students are now at FDX with me. I'd have forgotten the details...but I have the log entry and the mission info saved for posterity. So--in addition to helping accuracy--its a fine trip down memory lane when you want one.

And yeah...as an interview coach...its nice when clients have some raw material to work with. Your day to day missions may be the same--I just put down the crew names in those. By the trips that stand out usually get a remark or two. It takes a few extra minutes a month...but when I look back its always worth the effort.