Changing logbooks
 

What are the thoughts on changing your logbook for a new on? I must admit that in my early days I made some mistakes in my log books then had to go back and line out the mistake and make corrections. I would like to get a new and nice log that will be MUCH neater. Can you do this? What about all the places during flight training that the instructor signed? Or am I just stuck with my somewhat sloppy log for the rest of my life? I just wonder what the impression is going to be at an interview when they look back and see the corrections.

If aviation was always pretty, there would be no need for MELs.

Keep it. If you want to make a pretty logbook from here on out, go buy a new one, but keep the old one in a fireproof box.

Just make all your future entries in pencil if you dont like having to scratch out entries made with pen.

I imagine you will find very few people who do not have white out or marks in their first logbook. However, I would seriously consider from now on going with an electronic logbook. It makes it much easier for filling out applications and looks very organized in an interview.

So if I started a new electronic log, would I just drag out the old paper log when it was time for an interview? Or can you just document all the old time in the new log and move on? I also didn't know you could use pencil. I guess after 23 years in the Navy I just assumed it had to be in pen.

Using pencil would be highly frowned upon I would think (other than at the bottom for your totals). Using an electronic log is great, but I would ALWAYS keep a paper log also. I keep my first logbook in the fireproof safe, my current paper logbook is ALWAYS current also, in addition, my electronic logbook is always current, PLUS, a current backup copy on a thumb-drive in the fireproof safe, another copy on an external hard drive and a backup of the logbook on my main drive. Could you imagine trying to recreate decades of flying??

Don't use pencil for your logbook. For my electronic logbook, I used the first line to bring forward all totals from the paper logbook. I quit using a paper logbook about 5 years ago. For my Delta interview, I brought the printout from the electronic and my old paper logbook. They looked through the electronic and never bothered to look at the paper one. I just believe that having an electronic logbook printout looks very clean. The interviewers liked it.

+1 for switch to an e-log.

I went back to day one and entered every flight into my e-log. I keep the originals, they've traveled to interviews with me. No one has ever wanted to look at them when I show them the printed, bound e-log. (Granted, at this stage in my career, no one is too interested in my solo or high performance endorsements).

As an additional backup to my original paper logs, I scanned all of the important info (endorsements, checkrides, and such) and saved them as PDF's. I then emailed them and a backup of my e-log to myself at a hotmail account. They sit there on Hotmail's server as a backup in case of some sort of disaster (fire being the main one that comes to mind). If need be, I can restore the e-log data, and print the PDF's. With an explanation of the circumstances, I believe I have sufficient documentation to establish my flight experience.

FWIW - I haven't kept a paper log in nearly fifteen years. That said, if I were doing it over I would keep one for all of my flight training trough COMM/INST/CFI/MULTI (along with the e-log).