Sport Pilot Talk

Hi Guys! I 've just started flying and filling out my logbook after instruction flights... I keep my logbook in the flightschool but I want to have a digital copy in my phone / in the cloud. For safety (if it get lost) and to make statistics and calculating hours easier.
I've checked some apps but Im a beginner so please let me know what you use??
What i ve found its complicated stuff for airliner pilots :/
My instructor is retired age former army pilot...not into digital stuff

Good question. I am pretty tech savvy, but use a paper logbook. Why? Well there is something about the paper book that just makes it nostalgic. I also work with computers every day, and I've watched even backed up data become corrupted over time or become "legacy" and support/access is just discontinued.

It's easier for me to take a picture of my paper book for backup in the cloud and write it down. One other thing, there is something just downright awesome when the DPE signs the book for your checkride, you flip back a page or two and see it again and relive it in your mind....

Hello, student pilot here with M2C. I use a both paper and digital.

A a ForeFlight subscription on your I Pad will give you nice options to track things. In addition you get all of the Metars, MOS, taxi diagrams, up to date charts and chart supplements, check lists, etc.

Me? I showed up on day one in the plane with my I Pad, taking notes in the cockpit on the scratch pad for ATTIS, taxi diagram, etc. What I learned was it was much easier (for me) to have a good old fashioned note pad and pen on my lap to jot quick notes down instead of using the I pad.

Logbook? I used the "old fashioned" book where people write things in it with something called "an ink pen". I have my instructors signature, as well as her comments she adds at the end of each session. I do scan my log book every now and then as a back up copy. I use Excel a bit to add up my hours and what not, but for the most part the old fashioned book is working just fine.

Still use ForeFlight a lot on the ground however to check the winds and weather forecast, review the sectional charts looking at where we trained that day (ForeFlight can also log where you flew via GPS), study the taxi diagram, check for any TFR's (they do pop up every now and then), etc.

I prefer the paper log books of old, maybe because I've been using them for 54 years. I use iFly GPS on iPad Mini 4 for navigation, traffic, and weather from a Stratux.

I use a paper logbook and also https://myflightbook.com/logbook/Default.aspx ( free, open source )The electronic version is just so I can track easily totals. I also export weekly to excel format just in case if that site goes belly up. Frankly, keeping logs in excel is all one really needs since the format is so flexible and designed for cumulative reporting etc ...

I actually auto-log all my flights incockpit using iPad version of Garmin pilot ( hours etc) but I don’t keep my records with them...

Yea, I keep a summary version in Excel with total hours by make and model summed into several categories such as total time, single engine, multi-engine, complex, high performance, tail wheel, light sport, seaplane, and simulator.

I hate paperwork. I diligently filled out a paper logbook though, until I discovered the logging function of Garmin Pilot. It detects takeoffs and landings based on GPS speed and altitude. It logs day vs night flight, locations landed, and ground tracks for each flight you can overlay on the map. Logging is now one less busy task I have to worry about.

I'm sure other apps have similar logging features, I'm not crowing about Garmin here, but about automated, accurate logging.

I use Excel, with a paper logbook for required endorsements.

Here's a small portion of it:



Many columns off to the right for all the normal logbook categories.

Makes it easy to sort and total any type of info, though admittedly familiarity with Excel helps.

Thank you, I am gonna check!