Overview
A pilot logbook is a record of a pilot's flying hours, documenting every flight flown, including flight time, number of landings, and types of instrument approaches performed; pilots also log simulator time, since it counts toward certain training and currency requirements. Most countries require pilots to maintain a logbook under their national aviation regulations, primarily to demonstrate that certificate, rating, and currency requirements have been met. Logged time is generally recorded as block time, meaning it includes time spent taxiing on the ground, not just time actually airborne. Logbook retention and record-keeping requirements vary by country, with some jurisdictions mandating logbooks be kept for several years or even permanently as part of a pilot's official flying history.
History
Pilot logbook requirements developed alongside the earliest aviation licensing systems in the 1910s and 1920s, as governments began requiring documented proof of flight experience before issuing pilot certificates. Standardized logbook formats, recording specific categories of flight time and experience, were formalized over subsequent decades as international aviation authorities worked to harmonize licensing requirements across countries. Paper logbooks remained the universal standard for most of the 20th century, before electronic logbook software began gaining adoption from the 1990s and 2000s onward, offering pilots easier record-keeping and automatic calculation of currency and experience totals. Many aviation authorities now accept electronic logbooks alongside or instead of traditional paper records, though some jurisdictions still require or strongly encourage maintaining a physical paper logbook as a backup record.
Design & Specifications
Logbooks record flight time, aircraft type, and specific experience categories in either paper or certified electronic format.
Operations
Pilots log every flight promptly, maintaining accurate records required to demonstrate currency and eligibility for certificates and ratings.
See also
References
| Category | Aviation Business & Pilot Operations |
| Type | Pilot flight-hour record |
| Required By | National aviation regulations |
| Recorded As | Block time (incl. taxi) |
| Modern Format | Paper or electronic |