Electronic Logbook?

RyanB

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Who uses one? Anyone use MyFlightBook? Looks like most of them require a subscription, but MFB appears to be free. I want to use a reputable one so I minimize the risk of losing my account if the company goes tits up one day. Opinions?

Also, how do I get instructor signatures into old entries? Just keep the physical logbook handy as verification?
 
Works for me. You can download all the data so you will not lose it if the company quits supporting it.
 
Log Ten Pro. As the name / version denotes, a lot of us pros use it. It seems to be the most prevalent for most, primarily 135 and 121 guys. It runs about $80 / year. You get what you pay for.
 
Who uses one? Anyone use MyFlightBook? Looks like most of them require a subscription, but MFB appears to be free. I want to use a reputable one so I minimize the risk of losing my account if the company goes tits up one day. Opinions?

Also, how do I get instructor signatures into old entries? Just keep the physical logbook handy as verification?
@EricBe is the person who developed MyFlightbook. He should be able to answer any questions you have.

The thread:
 
Myflightbook user. Instructors can sign electronically or digitally (finger sign). Flight reviews and all sorts of ways to see your data.
 
I'm using myflightbook and have used the instructor signature feature. If you're worried about it going down someday you can always export your logbook data to a spreadsheet and save it somewhere secure.
 
I use a paper logbook and have a excel spreadsheet I enter everything in electronically. Also do the same to log my plane hours and expenses.
 
I just use excel. I have some simple formulas to compute currency and whatever info my insurance needs.
 
I've been using MyFlightbook since 2006 (I had been using a self-created database since the mid 1990s). Joke is my user number is lower than the developer's. Originally as backup, I stopped logging for myself on paper in 2013. I kept using paper for third party signatures until 2016 and after that only for signatures from CFIs who dudnt want to sign digitally. I think the last wet signature was in 2019.

One if its advantages is that the data is easily downloaded into Excel and available as csv. For a very small annual contribution, the data will be automatically loaded to the cloud if your choice. Basically loss of digital logbook is no worse, and arguably much better, than loss of a paper logbook.

Signatures are always an interesting issue. Yes, keep your old logbooks. And in terms of the future, be aware that the csv and Excel backups do not include the digital signatures. I'm not, but if you are concerned about that, you can do what I did during my transition periods.
 
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Another super happy MFB user. I even kick him some money once in a while it's so good. Fair warning, his "eternal gratitude" only lasts a year lol.

I still keep a paper log as well. I like having a physical book, and i think it's easier for signatures and logging practice approaches. I also take notes in there about where, why & who, which makes it fun to flip through. Should give me something to do when I'm old and infirm. I like the way the paper book and MFB back each other up; when I total paper logbook pages, I check it against MFB, and it tends to expose all of my mistakes. I usually update MFB in the plane or truck right after I land, whereas the paper book will sometimes not get updated for a few flights.

There is no question that MFB is easier and faster in my mind. Once your plane is set up, you just select it and it automatically populates subcategories like complex and high performance. Really nice for filling out insurance forms. Also takes all the effort out of knowing your instrument/night currancy. It's way better than I expected it to be.
 
Another very happy myflightbook user. I started using it when I became an instructor. It has an easy way for instructors to document all of the endorsements we give, which is a requirement. It also made it easy for me to keep up with my hours of instructing versus trying to keep a paper log book updated. I love the features, the owner is an active member here on POA, and you can't beat the price (although I recommend making a donation to help Eric out!)
 
I use SafeLog Pro. But part of that is because is used AeroLog Pro in the past. It still exists and is somewhat supported, but not as full featured as others. The company that does SafeLog Pro was able to extract the data from my AeroLog Pro data files and create a file to import a LOT of entries to their program. It does cost, but one thing I like is that my data is not in one place. When I update it on one device, I sync it with their cloud, then down to my other devices. So my complete log is on my iPhone, two iPads, two PCs, and a laptop, PLUS their cloud.

I still keep a paper logbook, but that is secondary.

For sign offs, one way I can do them is take a picture of the endorsement and import it as an attachment to that flight entry
 
No one uses those online things, paper only.
I'm regretting not using one. A place I'm making an application is requiring details on all of this stuff, and honestly, it's a pain to commit four logbooks to digital. Start now while it's easy.
 
I'm regretting not using one. A place I'm making an application is requiring details on all of this stuff, and honestly, it's a pain to commit four logbooks to digital. Start now while it's easy.
Try 8 of the Pro types. Not interested at this point in my life.
 
Foreflight for hours and currency but keep a paper log book exclusively just for sign offs, signatures, and endorsements then just scan those into my backup drive with logbook backups.

In case of a total data loss, hours can be rebuilt...physical sign offs not so easy.
 
it's a pain to commit four logbooks to digital. Start now while it's easy.
:yeahthat: I did 1½ books of back entries and that was bad enough. Anytimelogbooks.com will convert paper to digital for you and get the info back to you in Excel format. It's not cheap, but considerably less personal pain involved.
For sign offs, one way I can do them is take a picture of the endorsement and import it as an attachment to that flight entry
Same.
 
it's a pain to commit four logbooks to digital.
When you have paper logbooks, you don't start a new one by copying all of your old entries. You start with the totals from the old one and just enter the new stuff. You can do the same with electronic logbooks. Most if not all have instructions on "starting totals" or "catch up entries."

It can still be a bit of a pain depending on how much you want/need to drill down but not as bad as entering several decades of entries (I'll have to remember to give thanks Thursday that this wasn't an issue for me when I stated keeping an eLog :D)
 
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Yeah
When you have paper logbooks, you don't start a new one by copying all of your old entries. You start with the totals from the old one and just enter the new stuff. You can do the same with electronic logbooks. Most of not all have instructions on "starting totals" or "catch up entries."

It can still be a bit of a pain depending on how much you want/need to drill down but not as bad as entering several decades of entries (I'll have to remember to give thanks Thursday that this wasn't an issue for me when I stated keeping an eLog :D)
But this one company wants breakdowns of the flight hours per type of aircraft, and they won't accept anything but a resume through their app... and I've got like 50 different types of airplanes to sort out.
 
Yeah

But this one company wants breakdowns of the flight hours per type of aircraft, and they won't accept anything but a resume through their app... and I've got like 50 different types of airplanes to sort out.
Yep that's the "depending on how much you want/need to drill down" PITA part. OTOH, if you have to do that manually for the company, anyway you'll have your starting totals by type so you'll never have to do it manually again. Or, if it's that important, there are companies out there that will digitize written data, such as the place @Stan Bergey mentioned.
 
I've always done both. Started with paper and an Excel spreadsheet. Then moved from Excel to Logbook Pro. I log everything in the electronic version then every now and then fill out the paper logbooks.
 
+1 Excel. Simple. Easy. I believe the electronic logbooks mentioned support importing a .csv...
 
+1 Excel. Simple. Easy. I believe the electronic logbooks mentioned support importing a .csv...
AFAIK they all do. Some need more tweaking than others and you will usually still need to define aircraft. Most of the homemade Excel logbooks I've seen emulate the column structure of a paper logbook where you have manual entry columns for things like SEL vs MEL vs SES and in some cases, HP, Complex, and tailwheel if you are tracking those. In a good digital logbook, those are all part of the aircraft definition. For an individual flight you just enter the tail number. The database "knows" all that other stuff for when you ask it for information..
 
Yeah

But this one company wants breakdowns of the flight hours per type of aircraft, and they won't accept anything but a resume through their app... and I've got like 50 different types of airplanes to sort out.

That is the one advantage of myflightbook and other electronic logbooks. I can break it down by individual tail numbers if you want, or pretty much any combination anyone could ever ask for. There is even a tab for 8710 forms which makes totalling those times easy.

Yeah getting stuff input from flight #1 can be a pain, especially depending on how far along you are. But going forward it gets easier.

I had already manually entered all of my previous times into a spreadsheet at one point, and the process to import it into myflightbook was painless. I think I only had one or two flights that created an issue, mainly due to my own typos I had to clean up.
 
I'm regretting not using one. A place I'm making an application is requiring details on all of this stuff, and honestly, it's a pain to commit four logbooks to digital. Start now while it's easy.
Yeah I was joking. I’ve been on my flight book since I started. So much easier
 
Foreflight for me, and all endorsements go in FF as well as paper. I use their logbook because I sought a fully integrated EFB solution. I started on paper and have it up until my multi I think. I do annual analysis on my flying which requires downloading the entire contents of my logbook, therefore backups are an inherited process.
 
Foreflight for me, and all endorsements go in FF as well as paper. I use their logbook because I sought a fully integrated EFB solution. I started on paper and have it up until my multi I think. I do annual analysis on my flying which requires downloading the entire contents of my logbook, therefore backups are an inherited process.
Funny about differences. I'm the exact opposite. To be fair, I was using MFB before FF existed and forever 10 years before FF had a logbook. But aside from that, although I know I could export most of it without much difficulty if needed, I would not want to feel tied to a particular EFB app by having my logbook attached to it.
 
I use MyFlightbook. I have the instructor fill out the standard preset notes in my regular log book then take a picture and add it to the flight info. The instructor fills out the info on my MyFlightbook and adds his name and cert number.

I also back up MyFlightbook every month to an excel file.
 
I keep a paper log and only bring it out of safe place for CFI signing and checkride. Use Myflightbook primarily.
I haven't gotten around to it, but I intend to scan my paper log book and keep digital copy in a couple places. Just in case.
 
LogBookPro, backed up by a self made Excel spreadsheet, backed up by old fashioned paper logbooks.
 
Yeah

But this one company wants breakdowns of the flight hours per type of aircraft, and they won't accept anything but a resume through their app... and I've got like 50 different types of airplanes to sort out.
That is where an electronic logbook shines. With a few clicks I can give you totals of make and model. Or totals of a specific aircraft. Or a class of aircraft. Or XC in AMEL or nigh in RH, etc.

When I started with an electronic logbook so many years ago, but still lots of hours and flights, I just started and did a page or two every evening. And next thing I knew, I was done.
 
That is where an electronic logbook shines. With a few clicks I can give you totals of make and model. Or totals of a specific aircraft. Or a class of aircraft. Or XC in AMEL or nigh in RH, etc.
Stipulated it may take a couple clicks more, but in Excel it’s pretty easy to do a sort by any of those criteria and do a quick SUM of the appropriate cells.
 
I've transitioned completely to Foreflight several years ago. Before that, I used the free version of Zululog.
Did you transfer your log entries into FF or do you keep an excel copy of the old flights?

I'm thinking of switching to FF from Zulu and am trying to decide how I want to save legacy information.
 
Who uses one? Anyone use MyFlightBook? Looks like most of them require a subscription, but MFB appears to be free. I want to use a reputable one so I minimize the risk of losing my account if the company goes tits up one day. Opinions?le

Also, how do I get instructor signatures into old entries? Just keep the physical logbook handy as verification?
I use Google Sheets at a deeply automated level, back it up on paper, oh and let the paper carry the signatures.

With Google Sheets it's on my computer, tablet, and phone just about anywhere I need it to be. Track my medical, billing on plane rentals, hours for everything and types of aircraft. I have automated reports with graphs. Actually contemplated selling it for others to use... Hey, here's a thought, would anyone here pay for a sheets template to input logs and if so, how much?
 
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