FlyHigh423

hey everyone,

What do you think about getting a new logbook after passing my CFI intial ride? Even though I am pretty sure my logbook will only be half full at that point. does a half full logbook look bad at interviews? My mentality is this: that logbook has all my endorsements, most of my primary training checkrides in it, lots of IMPORTANT stuff, so why carry it around with me instructing? I figure leave it in a fireproof safe and start with a fresh one. Thoughts?

FlyHigh423

Keith Stone

Where does it say you need to carry it with you during your instructional flights?

PearlPilot

I leave my logbook at home. I jot down the flights I had on a pad and fill my logbook after work, that way I don't risk losing it. I changed the "SOLO" column on my logbook to "DUAL GIVEN." For now I will keep using my old logbook. I hear it fills up soon as a CFI. Good luck!

DirectTo

Yeah, if you're carrying your logbook with you currently on flights, stop. Right now.

What if you are flying with a student and the landing light wire chafes a fuel line, causing a leak and eventually, a fire. You successfully get the airplane on the ground as fire begins coming through the firewall, and you and the student bail out of the plane as it rolls down, and then off the runway. You two are both unhurt, but you watch as the airplane, all of your flying equipment, and yes, your logbooks go up in flames.

The student has a record of every single flight he's done in a folder or on a computer somewhere. You have nothing since your CFI checkride or last medical.


Happened to an instructor of mine in college.

Gajre539

DO NOT carry your logbook with you on flights.

I am on logbook # 3, and all my logbooks are at home in my fireproof waterproof safe. I fly 2-4 flights per day on average and send myself a text message with details of the flight while filling out my students logbook, e.g. 1.7, students name, Inst. 61, tail number, 3 landings. I don't need the date because I can see when I get the text message. Every month (well maybe every 2 months) I write all the flights in my logbook. Since all my flights are invoiced at the flight school, I can ask for a print out of my flights, at any time, from the chief pilot IF anything happens to my "text messages".

Try to find a system that works for you. You can use some kind of a cell phone based logbook program or a piece of paper to log all your flights. You can use any method to log your flights during the day, then just transfer them to your logbook at a later time.

Cubdriver

I just jot down the number of landings, time & date, & student on my knee board and catch up the logbook in a day or two.

Lately I carry my logbook in my CFI bag in a zip-up pocket. It's not like someone is going to mug you for your bag, the more likely situtation is it slips out somewhere along the way. The pocket I have is small with a zipper and nothing else fits in it. Without the pocket I would not risk it, but either way, scan your logbook every couple of months and keep the file somewhere safe. You can store the scan on cloud based file servers (Google document), which also makes accessing them possible from remote locations.

usmc-sgt

I did this same thing (minus carrying it with me). I started with one of those thin training type logbooks and used 3/4s of it through all of my training. Once I started instructing I purchased the larger professional pilot logbook. As for the original book I simply totaled what I had and put it on the bottom as if I had finished the page. Make a diagonal line across the unused portion of the page and on that line write "no further entries" and sign and date it.

Flyhayes

In a day or two!? I catch up on my logbook once a year!

JBird

Is there a logbook out there designed for CFI's? I'm coming to the end of my old one and would like one that I can list endorsements given...etc.

Cubdriver

I don't think so, but some of the logbooks are larger than others. You can get a 4 pound monster if you want.

Personally I use a Jeppesen student logbook because it is small, fills up fast which means you are not carrying years worth of entries in case you lose it, and is less likely to wear out before being filled. I crossed out the dual received column and put dual given. As for who I taught what, I copy my students log book and keep it on file for 3 years (I think that's the reg), rather than write very much in my own log about each and every maneuver. I give the full entry including every last maneuver in the student logbook. That's enough.