I’m considering keeping a spare logbook just in case the worst happens and I lose my current one for whatever reason. Are instructor signatures in logbooks required for interviews? Much of my logbook entries are from instructors during my private days which I had many years ago. One instructor I had moved a long time ago and is only reachable via phone and social media. The other, sadly, passed away just a couple weeks ago. For neatness and in case of a worst case scenario, I was thinking of buying a new book and copying all the previous entries from the original book to the new one. I don’t see how it wouldn’t be acceptable to bring both the original logbook and the new one to an interview. The new one would be neater (no cross outs and white out markings) but wouldn’t have all the instructor signatures and endorsements as the original does, so would that be okay?
I have similar questions about putting all of my logbook into a digital form? Any recommendations?
Guys,
Aviation has advanced along with the technologies and every airline will accept a print out from a digital logbook. Truth be told, if you think about it, your logbook is really accepted on the “honor system” since no airline is going to actually sit down and go hour by hour and verify every signoff. They will of course verify all your licenses and ratings from the FAA. What’s amazing is every now and then someone will try and fluff something but the industry is so small they get busted more often than not. There was a pilot who claimed a bunch of hours in a 172 at some small field a few years back at ExpressJet. Well one of the pilots doing the checks flew out of that field and when he queried the pilot his story got fuzzy so he called the airport manager. Apparently that 172 hadn’t flown in decades and was just a skeleton in the grass. Silly pilot.
Adam
Do you recommend online logbooks or use one yourself?
Also, if you’re worried about losing those sign-offs and endorsements you could photocopy those pages and stash the copies somewhere safe, at least you’d have a record of what was in there.
Adam,
I honestly can’t believe that some pilots would do that. It’s a shame that some people don’t have integrity. 
Yuran
I personally do not use an online logbook. I am old fashioned and prefer a paper one. It is more work, but I think it presents better.
I use LogBook Pro and the companion app for my phone. Makes life VERY simple. I started it during my training with ATP but kept the paper (for all my signoffs, endorsements etc) as well until I got to the airline and then the paper became to much of an effort. Trust me electronic simplifies things and I encourage ALL newbies (like ALL of you to start early, ie, NOW, if you wait it’ll be a pain to catch up). Why? A few reasons. First it’s just easy, especially when you get to the airlines. Most will let you simply download your schedule and then you just need to adjust the times to actual and sync it up, stupid easy. Second when it comes to applying to airlines most want some very specific reports. So when they ask you how much night IMC single engine instructor time you have it’s just a key stroke away. Next, EVERY checkride you will ever take (including CFI renewals and types) requires an FAA form 8710 to be filled out and again, like the airline apps, that requires some funky reports like x-country dual multi etc. On the E-log book there’s an 8710 button, one press and it prints out all filled out. Finally at this stage in my career I have no intentions of moving elsewhere but I would like to know how many hours I have when all’s said and done. Many pilots I fly with have stopped logging their time. With the app it’s so easy there’s no reason not to.
Adam
I start ATP in 3 weeks and want to go over to electronic, what do I need to do for all of my old endorsements and sign offs, to transfer into an electronic log book, along with my 500+ hours?
Thanks