log book entries
 

as a cfi what all do you have to log into your log book? I know you have to keep record of signoff's, endorsements..etc. But do you have to keep a description of what you did on the flight in the remarks section? thanks for the help.

As a CFI, I suggest you keep THOROUGH RECORDS of EVERY student flight. You don't necessarily need to keep them in your logbook, but you do need to annotate everything you did in a lesson and the student's performance. This is to protect yourself should your student ever do something stupid that results in an FAA or NTSB investigation. (Read Liability Protection).

In my logbook, I simply put the name of the student I flew with, and the lesson that I completed with them. Since I follow a standard syllabus that I made up (even when teaching outside of a 141 environment) it's easy to keep track of:

Dave Jones - PVT Lesson 12 - Incomplete (Part 91)
Dave Jones - PVT Lesson 12 (#2) - Complete (Part 91)
Mike Smith - COM Lesson 14 - Complete Satisfactorily (Part 141)

For documentation of student progress on each flight, I used a form that I made up. This form was attached to my kneeboard and I annotated what items we accomplished on the flight and student performance. At the end of the flight, I used the form to debrief the student. At the end of the debriefing, I signed the form, the student signed (stating that the materials were covered), and we each got a copy. This way there was absolutely no mistaking what was and what was not covered.

Here's a copy of the form that I used:
Private, Commercial, Flight Instructor, and Biennial Flight Review Curriculums
Instrument, Instrument Flight Instructor, and Instrument Proficiency Check Curriculums

thanks, i was wondering if i was missing something but that is for the most part what i do.

wow, makes me look bad

I just write the students name and in the back remarks section names and dates and checkrides passed

I fly WAY too much to write down all that I do with students since it is not a set curriculum, I document thoroughly in my students logbooks so I guess if needed I could cross reference. I update my logbook about once every two weeks

Even if you aren't using a set curriculum, I'd suggest that you start taking more detailed personal records for your own protection.

I'm guessing that you probably take basic notes while you're flying regarding student performance, so that when you land you can conduct a proper debrief, right? Why not consolidate that info onto one plain piece of paper? There's no reason that you need to write down everything in your own logbook if you keep the notes from the lesson. (I put mine into a 3 ring binder).

The FAR's set out what you must keep as an absolute minimum. For your own protection, I suggest that you keep much more detail, and keep it away from your logbook. Remember- in the future, your student's logbooks won't necessarily be available for you to cross reference (they might be destroyed in a post impact fire or something?). And your student might not be willing to cooperate with you (particularly if they or their family are suing you for negligence after an accident and claiming that you didn't provide adequate training).

I log the student's last name and the flight completed. If it isn't a syllabus flight (King Air trip or personal flight), then I sum it up with a couple words (concert in FL, Dinner in PA, etc.)

I think it's a good idea to take the 30 seconds after each flight, or at least at the end of the day, to update your logbook. When aI first started flying a ton, I updated the end of every week, and later I discovered several flights that I forgot to log. Free time can disappear if you aren't careful!

Yup. I always worked at 141 schools, so the 141 records served as my documentation. When I did a 161 student, I still used the 141 records for that reason. This way I could keep more details than I could fit in my log book.

For liaibility purposes, you want to look in the FAR's at the list of training and manuevers required for each rating or solo (it's a long list), and make sure you haver documented each and every one of those things before you sign a student off. And I mean VERBATIM, copy the verbage right out of the FAR. If you paraphrase, a lawyer will eat you alive. Of course, feel free to add any additional stuff, just don't skip anything the FARs require.

A "good" CFI can really rack up some hours working his students.

No need for the FAA standard...Lets up a nice 'finish' or 'polish' on your flying before you move on.

Better safe than sorry.


-LAFF

I actually go by the FAA standard + The DPE's standard + My Personal Comfort Zone turning the student loose in the system with my signoff. I had one student early on whom I signed off, and then lost sleep over for several years. Not doing that again...

Sorry, but just clearing PTS isn't good enough. That the attitude that permits millions of terrible drivers to hold driving licenses. I have students that didn't bust the PTS on steep turns, stalls, etc, but were basically lucky they didn't. The PTS just provides an objective range of acceptable standards. We all know the students are ready when they understand how to be the PIC, not just do the maneuvers when you tell them. You can train monkeys and autopilots to do that.