Austin Pulliam - Director of Operations
In aviation, there are many different ways in which a pilot may keep record of their flight and/or ground experience such as paper logs, EFB (Electronic Flight Bags), or dedicated electronic logbooks. At FlyBright we maintain the highest standards not only in the training itself, but how it is recorded. For many newcomers and experienced pilots alike, properly logging experience can seem to be a daunting and confusing process.
14 CFR 61.51 is the regulation discussing what is required when it comes to logging flight experience. We won’t be going through the entire list, but this outlines items such as aircraft type, location, date, and total flight time which must be logged as applicable to every flight. Our main focus today is going to be on some of more specific scenarios you may encounter, and how to log them properly. Let’s go more in-depth on a couple of scenarios.
Dual Flight Training
When it comes to your flight experience received as a student, the vast majority of this time
will be time spent while receiving instruction from a CFI. This is sometimes referred to as dual flight time. It’s important to know how to log this time, as this is part of what allows you to take your exams. The first difference when logging flight instruction received is that you will now be filling an additional column. Usually this is labeled as such, but make sure you fill in the column labeled “Flight Instruction Received”, and not “Flight Instruction Given” as this would be used if you were acting as the CFI.
Logging PIC (pilot-in-command) time when in dual operations can be confusing, so let's break it down. As a Student Pilot, you cannot log PIC anytime you are engaged in dual operations. This is because you do not hold any certificates at this time, which gives you that authority. Once you are rated for the aircraft (passed a practical exam), you will be able to log PIC while in dual operations anytime you are the sole-manipulator of the controls, meaning you are the only person physically on the controls.
As always, your CFI must sign any lesson in which you receive instruction.
Solo Flight Time
Solo flight is one of the most exciting times for any aspiring pilot in flight training! Up until this time you should have plenty of experience with logging your flights, so let’s go through a few of the differences between solo and dual training. When is it appropriate to log “solo” time? 14 CFR 61.51(d) tells us that solo time can only be logged when you are the sole occupant of the aircraft, but of course you must also have the required training and endorsements completed to engage in solo operations.
During solo operations, you will no longer be logging “Flight Training Received”, since you are not accompanied by your CFI. Instead, you will now be able to log “PIC” and “Solo” flight time. I would also recommend adding notes to these flights describing any applicable details toward the flight, such as an event that occurred, or a specific requirement that was accomplished. Your CFI does not have to endorse these flights, as you are the one attesting that the flight occurred as you have it logged. That covers solo operations!
Crew Experience
The situation we will now be discussing involves two certified pilots operating a single-engine airplane which only requires a single pilot for operation. This will be a common
scenario for those who have wanted to build time economically by sharing the costs with another pilot. It may seem on face value like you can both simply log all of the experience, but there is a bit more to it than that.
The most important part of this situation is that the aircraft only requires a single pilot to operate. How then can both pilots log the experience? For the two pilots in question, we will call them Pilot A and Pilot B. Pilot A will be operating the aircraft for the entirety of a flight from one airport, to another 100 nautical miles away. Pilot B will be acting as the “Safety Pilot”. For this flight, the plan of action will be for Pilot A to wear a view-limiting device starting from a safe point determined by Pilot A after the departure. The view-limiting device will be removed prior to arrival at the destination airport, or during any time in which it becomes necessary to do so. The purpose for the view-limiting device is that during the time Pilot A is wearing the device, this will make Pilot B a required crew member to maintain vision outside of the aircraft.
So what does this mean for logging the flight? For Pilot A, the logging is quite simple. The entire duration in which Pilot A was the sole-manipulator of the controls may be counted for the experience. Pilot A will also be recording cross-country time since they performed the takeoff and the landing as well. Pilot B will only be able to log the experience during which Pilot A was wearing the view-limiting device which made them a required crew member. Both Pilot A and B will log PIC (Pilot-In-Command) time for the entirety of what may be logged as stated above.
That’s how to log crew experience! It requires a bit more attention on both pilots' sides, but following the regulations is imperative to ensure you stay legal as a crew.
Practical Tests
How to log a practical exam will be more or less the same depending on the rating you are going for. Let’s use a scenario of a student pilot going for their Private Pilot certificate. This will be the first time that student gets to log PIC, and is not the sole occupant of the aircraft. The examiner is unable to act as the PIC, and is also not acting as an instructor. This also means that you have to have a current solo endorsement to exercise the privileges of PIC. For all other exams, just make sure you log PIC, but do not log “Flight Instruction Received.” Examiners also do not need to sign your logbook, so don’t worry if this hasn’t been done.
This covers just a few brief topics regarding logging flight experience, but I hope it has been helpful and informative. Remember to always reference the FAR’s (14 CFR) if you have any questions on what the rules are.
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