Pilot Logbooks & Aircraft Logbooks

Under FAR 61.51, a pilot logbook should keep a reliable record of the date, the aircraft make, model, and identification, the departure and arrival points, the total flight time, the category and class, the conditions of flight, and the type of pilot time. Standard and professional logbooks include columns for each.

No. The FAA does not mandate paper or any specific format. A digital record is acceptable as long as it is reliable and can be produced for the Administrator on request. Many pilots still keep a paper logbook as a legal backup to their electronic flight bag log in case a device or account is lost.

A standard logbook uses a compact column set sized for student and recreational flying. A professional logbook adds expanded columns for multi-engine, turbine, SIC, instrument, and other categories, and it holds more entries per page, so it suits career-track and airline pilots who log many varied hours.

A standard FAA-compliant logbook such as the ASA Standard Pilot Logbook is the best choice for a student pilot. It includes every column primary training requires, fits easily in a flight bag, and is affordable, so you can start logging hours from your first lesson without paying for columns you will not use yet.

Professional and airline pilots typically use a professional logbook such as the Jeppesen Professional Pilot Logbook or the ASA Flight Crew Logbook. These add the expanded columns a career needs, including multi-engine, turbine, SIC, and instrument time, and hold enough entries to cover many years of daily flying.

Aircraft owners keep separate airframe, engine, and propeller records in an aircraft log such as the ASA Aircraft Flight Log, which is different from a personal pilot logbook. A&P candidates document their supervised maintenance experience in the ASA AMT Logbook to qualify for certification.