How do you log flight time?

[napoleonpp]

I rode in one acouple times due to my bird breaking in flight school. It definitely seemed very touchy when the pilots were picking it up and setting it down.

[CO2WO]

Very interesting, thanks for the insight Mike. That may be an inherit trait of its rigid rotor system. I definitely wanna get behind the wheel of one eventually.

[Creep0321]

I only have 10 hours in the UH72, and Zero in anything else. I will say I like flying in level 1 with SAS n everything off the most.

[01CelicaGTS]

Has anyone ever heard of logging full motion sim time as total time? I've always logged sim time as Ground Sim, Dual (if applicable), Sim Instrument (as applicable), but NOT in my total time column. However, a guy in my unit who's going to be getting out went to Heli-Expo and he said that many of the helicopter company chief pilots told him that he should log all full motion sim time as total time. I'm planning on looking it up, but just wanted to get insight from others.

[CO2WO]

Without looking it up, I can almost swear the FAR allows for logging TT in certain certified sims (level d?). I'm sure a resident expert will chime in while I'm researching.

[CO2WO]

As ambiguous as it is, the FAR doesn't define Total Time since that's mostly an industry standard term taken to mean "Total FLIGHT Time"; so LEGALLY,

 

FAR 61.51( c ) states: "Logging of pilot time. The pilot time described in this section may be used to:

 

( 1 ) Apply for a certificate or rating issued under this part or a privilege authorized under this part; or

 

( 2 ) Satisfy the recent flight experience requirements of this part.

 

 

Additionally, FAR 61.51( g ) and ( h ) allow the use of flight sims and training devices to count for instrument and training time, respectively.

 

IMO, you can log it if it meets the requirements set forth in FAR 61.51( g ) and ( h ) AND your trainer meets the requirements set forth in FAR 60.

 

Finally, the FAR 61 definitions of "Pilot Time" and "Aeronautical Experience" include for the use of sims/flight training devices.

 

I suppose just like most things with your logbook, as long as you can properly explain and justify you're reasoning as backed up by the law; your interrogator shouldn't take issue with it...

[apacheguy]

Has anyone ever heard of logging full motion sim time as total time? I've always logged sim time as Ground Sim, Dual (if applicable), Sim Instrument (as applicable), but NOT in my total time column. However, a guy in my unit who's going to be getting out went to Heli-Expo and he said that many of the helicopter company chief pilots told him that he should log all full motion sim time as total time. I'm planning on looking it up, but just wanted to get insight from others.

 

I logged sim since it was required in the 64 for my semi-annual minimums and the old CMS was a full motion sim. When I applied to a civvie flying job they told me they'd let me use 100 hours of sim towards the hiring minimums which I had way more time than anyway. To my knowledge there isn't an industry standard as to how civilians regard military simulator time, I'd recommend you log it and let the company see how they want to handle it. Even the most ardent sim pilot won't have more than 200-300 hours to worry about so your real aircraft hours will dwarf sim hours.

[Velocity173]

Has anyone ever heard of logging full motion sim time as total time? I've always logged sim time as Ground Sim, Dual (if applicable), Sim Instrument (as applicable), but NOT in my total time column. However, a guy in my unit who's going to be getting out went to Heli-Expo and he said that many of the helicopter company chief pilots told him that he should log all full motion sim time as total time. I'm planning on looking it up, but just wanted to get insight from others.

I don't use it for total time and no longer use it for instrument time. Does a military sim count for a certified sim (level D)? For instruments does your instructor meet the requirements of part 61 and sign off on dual in your log books? Is the time used for instruments for obtaining a certificate or instrument recency experience? I've got 294 hours of military sim time and claim none of it in job applications or annual insurance.

 

Really it's something long over due for the FAA to address. Too many equivalent military training systems that should get automatically accepted on the civilian side.

Edited March 20, 2016 by Velocity173

[kona4breakfast]

Seriously, read the FARs, with your own Mk1 eyeballs. If you want clarification, or can't find something being addressed, then ask your digital friends. There should be a lmgtfy.com for the FARs.

[Astro]

Do you guys log night time via the FAA definition (evening civil twilight to morning civil twilight), or do you have your own?

[Wally]

Do you guys log night time via the FAA definition (evening civil twilight to morning civil twilight), or do you have your own?

 

If it's dark enough to use night techniques (or if I want NVGs) then I log night. If it's not, then I don't worry about it and log the default day. The only time the legal definition becomes an issue is long summer days when night currency is an issue and I have to wait for the hour after sunset to fly to keep currency.

[Yamer]

Thought I would add to this thread.

I was going to spend money on an app to log my flight time but I just stumbled across an app called MyFlightBook. It's free and seems to work great. It also allows for logging NVS versus NVG and all sorts of other stuff.

 

Does anyone use it? Or recommend one besides logbook pro?

Edited April 23, 2016 by Yamer

[Jhanner1]

I've used Myflightbook for about two years now with no issues. I've heard great things about the logbook feature on foreflight but haven't tried it.

[Creep0321]

I've been using the logbook on Foreflight for a whopping 2 months now. I like it, easy to add any additional fields, and hide those you don't want to use.

[Yamer]

I'll check out foreflight also, thanks.

[CharyouTree]

 

Even the most ardent sim pilot won't have more than 200-300 hours to worry about so your real aircraft hours will dwarf sim hours.

Sorry, but this is patently false, as far as the "200-300" is concerned. Rucker IPs rack up that sim time. Plus, I know Guard guys running the TBOS as S3 or technicians piling up the hours in the sim, as well. There aren't many, but the "ardent" sim guys get a LOT. You're right as far as the ratio is concerned, though. (...at least with the Rucker folks). Actual should stay higher than sim, unless your full-time job is as a sim instructor.

 

 

I don't use it for total time and no longer use it for instrument time. Does a military sim count for a certified sim (level D)? For instruments does your instructor meet the requirements of part 61 and sign off on dual in your log books? Is the time used for instruments for obtaining a certificate or instrument recency experience? I've got 294 hours of military sim time and claim none of it in job applications or annual insurance.

 

As I understand it, they're not certified, even if they meet the same requirements as a level D. Reason? Money. Why would the military pay to get their sims certified, when they don't give a crap if they're certified or not.

That said, a lot of the rules are out the window already, coming from military. Time required for a commercial rating, for example. (As an added bonus, I added my multi-engine commercial with 20 hours multi and less than 40 airplane. Zero PIC. It's still a valid commercial/instrument ticket, even though it doesn't come close to meeting minimum hours.) We don't even have the same requirements on the military side as far as instrument currency. None is in my total column. I can always add it later, easily.