Pilot Logbook Requirements: FAR 61.51 Explained

WHY ACCURATE LOGBOOK RECORDS MATTER

A pilot logbook serves as the official record of flight experience. It is used to prove eligibility for certificates and ratings, demonstrate currency for acting as PIC, document training received, and provide evidence during FAA investigations or insurance claims. While FAR 61.51 does not require logging all flight time, it does require logging specific types of time used to meet regulatory requirements.

WHAT FAR 61.51 REQUIRES

FAR 61.51 is the primary regulation governing logbook entries. It specifies what may be logged and under what conditions. The regulation distinguishes between what a pilot may log and what a pilot must log.

REQUIRED LOGGING

A pilot must log flight time when it is used to meet the requirements for a certificate, rating, or flight review, or to meet recent experience requirements (currency). For example: • Training received from an authorized instructor (per FAR 61.51(h)) • Aeronautical experience used to meet the requirements of a certificate or rating • The three takeoffs and landings required for carrying passengers under FAR 61.57(a) • Instrument approaches, holds, and tracking required for instrument currency under FAR 61.57(c) • Flight reviews and instrument proficiency checks

PERMITTED LOGGING

A pilot may log all flight time during which the pilot is the sole manipulator of the controls or is acting as PIC, SIC, or flight engineer, even if not required for a specific purpose. Many pilots log all flight time for insurance, employment, and personal record purposes.

CATEGORIES OF LOGGABLE FLIGHT TIME

PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) TIME

Under FAR 61.51(e), a pilot may log PIC time when: • The pilot is the sole manipulator of the controls and is rated for the aircraft (holds the appropriate category and class rating) • The pilot is the sole occupant of the aircraft • The pilot is acting as PIC of an aircraft on which more than one pilot is required (e.g., multi-crew operations) • A student pilot performing solo flight

A common source of confusion: a pilot can log PIC time as sole manipulator even when a CFI or safety pilot is also on board, as long as the pilot holds the appropriate ratings for the aircraft.

SECOND IN COMMAND (SIC) TIME

SIC time may be logged when the pilot is acting as SIC of an aircraft on which more than one pilot is required by the type certificate, regulations, or operating rules. In most single-pilot GA aircraft, SIC time cannot be logged because only one pilot is required.

SOLO FLIGHT TIME

Solo time is flight time during which the pilot is the sole occupant of the aircraft. Student pilots must log solo time to meet the aeronautical experience requirements for certificates. Per FAR 61.51(d), solo time must be logged with the date, total flight or lesson time, location (departure and arrival airports), type of pilot experience or training, and conditions of the flight.

INSTRUMENT TIME

Instrument time is logged when the pilot operates the aircraft solely by reference to instruments. This includes: • Actual instrument conditions (IMC): Flight in instrument meteorological conditions • Simulated instrument conditions: Flight under a view-limiting device (foggles or hood) with a safety pilot. The safety pilot must be named in the logbook.

Instrument approaches, holding patterns, and course intercepting/tracking should be logged individually with the location and type of approach (e.g., "ILS RWY 27 at KORD").

NIGHT TIME

Night time is defined in FAR 1.1 as the period beginning one hour after sunset and ending one hour before sunrise. However, for logging purposes under FAR 61.51(b), night flight time is logged from the end of evening civil twilight to the beginning of morning civil twilight. For logging landings for night currency under FAR 61.57, the period is one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.

CROSS-COUNTRY TIME

Cross-country time has different definitions depending on the purpose. For meeting aeronautical experience requirements under FAR 61, a cross-country flight must include a landing at a point other than the departure airport that is: • More than 50 NM from the departure point (for private pilot and instrument rating requirements) • More than 25 NM from the departure point (for sport pilot)

For general logging purposes (not meeting a specific certificate requirement), any flight with a landing at a point other than the departure point may be logged as cross-country.

LOGBOOK ENTRY FORMAT

Each logbook entry should include: • Date of the flight • Total flight time or lesson time • Location or route of flight (departure and destination airports using identifiers) • Aircraft type and registration number • Name of any instructor or safety pilot, with their certificate number • Type of pilot experience or training (dual received, solo, PIC, SIC, instrument, night, cross-country) • Number of instrument approaches, landings (day and night), and takeoffs • Conditions of flight (VFR, IFR, actual IMC, simulated instruments)

INSTRUCTOR ENDORSEMENTS

Instructor endorsements are an integral part of the logbook. FAR 61.51(h) requires the instructor to sign the logbook entry for each training flight. The endorsement must include the instructor's signature, certificate number, and certificate expiration date. Key endorsements include: • Pre-solo (FAR 61.87) • Solo cross-country (FAR 61.93) • Knowledge test preparation (FAR 61.35 and 61.103) • Practical test preparation (FAR 61.39) • Flight review (FAR 61.56) • Instrument proficiency check endorsement

DIGITAL LOGBOOKS

Electronic logbooks (such as ForeFlight, MyFlightBook, and LogTen Pro) are accepted by the FAA as an alternative to paper logbooks. The FAA requires that the pilot be able to present logbook records upon request, whether in paper or electronic format. Best practices for digital logbook use include: • Maintain regular backups (both cloud and local) • Ensure the app can export records in a printable format • Some pilots maintain both paper and digital logbooks as redundancy • For checkrides, many DPEs still prefer printed summaries of relevant experience

COMMON LOGBOOK MISTAKES

• Logging PIC time in an aircraft for which the pilot does not hold the appropriate ratings • Failing to record the safety pilot's name during simulated instrument flight • Mixing up the night definitions (currency vs. logging) • Not recording instrument approaches individually (type and location) • Rounding times inconsistently (use either tenths of hours or whole minutes, consistently) • Failing to obtain required instructor endorsements in the logbook • Altering or falsifying entries, which is a violation of FAR 61.59 and can result in certificate revocation