Logbooks - Paper vs Digital
 

Fellas,

I'm having a hard time convincing myself to switch my logbook over to the computer. I know the computer would make it much much easier to pull out specific times such as make, models, and types but my concern is what if I decide a few years from now to change software programs or something. How easy or not easy is it to upload a new software program with the old programs data in order to keep the running totals?

I actually used a software program a number of years ago but it became antiquated and if I changed software I would have to go back and start the logbooks over essentially loosing all of the individual flight/leg data. I guess the only way to keep that individual flight information is to print off each entry....?

Thoughts?

I know that most of programs can cross-populate for the various reasons. Also for just a few bucks I think logbook pro can tweak data from other programs etc.

I have one ... but am still inputting data. It would be EXTREMELY helpful filling out specific data. In fact, I would pay alot of money just for the accuracy that it can provide over my beat-up stack of logbooks. Anyway, depending on what stage you are at in your career IMHO if your under 5000 hours, I'd switch for certain.

If you are filling out detailed airline applications I can maybe see the benefit?

IMHO it wont make a bit of difference in corporate. Nobody cares how much night time multi-engine piston IFR time you have.

I have been on a few interviews (fortune 5 to 2 pilot departments) and have only once been asked to show a logbook..and they just flipped through it and asked about different Intl destinations, maybe to see if your experience was legit? dunno. It was a conversation piece. I also have never met advertised minimums for a job and everyone was always good with an estimate on times.

I have also interviewed many pilots, never cared to see a logbook. Dont even care if you maintain one. I dont myself, I just print off FOS/trip sheets yearly and file away in case I ever need to build one.

I can get a good feeling about your experience by just talking about some trips you did and watching you for 45mins in a simulator. Show me a good attitude, a personality, an education, and some solid PIC time and you can fly anything IMO...

Nothing wrong with detailed logs and goofy printouts, it's just nothing important (to me)

Good Luck!

During interviews I tend to flip through people's logbooks, but more or less I'm looking for anything particularly interesting (you have an hour in a Extra? That must have been fun. Tell me about it.) or a lot of safety pilot type stuff with the entry King Air FOs. But unless something jumps out there's not much point to really digging through them. I hope for the applicant's sake that they've maintained it well and that it is current and up to date, but that's up to them, as long as they can demonstrate currency to the feds, fine by me.

On the flip side, I maintain a manual logbook as I want something to look back on way down the road.

I maintain both - a hard copy logbook (btw I'm looking for a good civilian type of logbook beyond the basic student one I started with - any suggestions?) and the a few Excel spreadsheets that I keep up to date with different totals of different times (or pulling out those numbers required in an interview) plus an Excel spreadsheet that mirrors my current civilian logbook - kept up to date and backed up in various places. I also want to maintain a hard copy for posterity.

USMCFLYR

I also maintain two logbooks. I have a large paper logbook and LogBook Pro electronic logbook. I really like LogBook Pro because it is so easy to extract any data needed for an application. The other great thing about LogBook Pro is their Iphone App. At the end my duty day I open the App on my Iphone and punch in my flight times and it automatically syncs to my PC. When I get home that days flights are already in my electronic log book. Every month or so I back log from my electronic logbook to my paper logbook and put it back in the safe. I may one day stop the paper log book but there is something about the paper logbook I personally enjoy.

Have a look at the Jeppesen Professional Pilot Logbook JS506055

Product Information | Professional Pilot Logbook - JeppDirect

As has been said, most software companies will massage another programs data to import it into their own if necessary. Often though, the software has a utility which will import data from other popular programs, so you don't need to mess with sending the data off. Further, many (even older programs) will export their data in generic formats, such as CSV files, which permit easy importing.

I switched over completely more than a dozen years ago, and have never regretted the decision. At the time I entered line by line all of my paper log data (over 3000 hours at the time IIRC), which took quite a while, but it was well worth it. Granted, as others have pointed out, being able to massage the data may not be as essential in corporate as it is filling out airline apps, but it makes thinks so easy and so neat.

Furthermore, it gives you a great deal of security in maintaining your data. Here is something I just posted on another thread, but I think is worth repeating here. (And no, for the record I don't sell a logbook program, but I am an avid fan of them):

My first logbook was this one.

Pilot's Flight Log and Record - Sporty's Pilot Shop


If I ever decide to use a paper log (which I doubt) I'd go with this one- the senior pilot's log

Senior Pilot's Flight Log and Record - Sporty's Pilot Shop

I used to be against electronic logbooks but took the time to create one (as a backup and to fill time during long trans-cons!). Now, it's all I use.

The main reason I use it is for great functions like an instant check of flight and duty legalities - no more calculators and uncertainty! A good electronic logbook is worth its weight in gold, in my opinion!

ps.. I use LogBook Pro and love it. Good luck Sir.