Hobbs Courtesy

ebykowsky

ebykowsky

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Hey everyone--quick opinion question. The Hobbs meter has that little analog display where it can be stuck between 2 numbers... I've always been told that when the number starts to turn over, it means you're almost at the end of your .1hrs and it will flip completely in a matter of seconds. So, when I record hours, I generally count anything where I can see any part of the next number on the dial as time flown. (Count it as 8 if it's between 7 and 8). My question is: how do you deal with people who rent before you and mark an almost completely turned number as the lower number?
If I were to simply mark the Hobbs in as the higher number, the FBO gets cheated out of .1 and I look bad. Otherwise, I get cheated out of .1. And if I go tell the FBO then I look like a penny pincher (although $13/ .1 can add up). Or do I just stop b**ching and get over it?
 
I will usually write an X next to the number and write in what mine is. I think it is fairly easy for the FBO to adjust it because the TACH is also recorded. We all know most renters run on full rental power so the TACH and HOBBS should not be very far off.
 
My last flying club had a policy where if you saw that, you could make a note of your correct start time and they would charge you accordingly. Not sure how the behind the scenes accounting worked, or if the owner just ate the diff.
 
My instructor taught me: "Hobbs karma." Round up! It's always nice to get into a plane and find the previous renter rounded up. It's also more likely to avoid Hobbs counting errors.
 
Reminds me oc the airplane renter's prayer:
"Dear God, if I have to have an instrument failure, please let it be the Hobbs."
 
Timmer said:
My instructor taught me: "Hobbs karma." Round up! It's always nice to get into a plane and find the previous renter rounded up. It's also more likely to avoid Hobbs counting errors.
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Exactly what my CFI taught me and what I do. I've found others do the same.
 
SOP at both clubs I have belonged to and the FBO is to record the higher number. It all works out in the end. ;)

Cheers
 
Timmer said:
My instructor taught me: "Hobbs karma." Round up! It's always nice to get into a plane and find the previous renter rounded up. It's also more likely to avoid Hobbs counting errors.
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Yep!

If everyone does the same thing (round up or down) it's all good, ether way it's a 10th for gods sakes! Just round the damn thing up
 
Our club expects you to record the higher number. I've never done anything else.
 
I round up and pay for the few minutes of the next pilot. Seems polite.
 
I always round up too. Just asking what to do with those who don't...
 
I always rounded up, provided any part of the next number was visible. If the existing number had just started to move, I rounded down.
 
JeffDG said:
Reminds me oc the airplane renter's prayer:
"Dear God, if I have to have an instrument failure, please let it be the Hobbs."
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Happened to me one time .3 into a 2.5hr flight. I offered to pay tach but the accounting software couldn't handle it so I got some cheap flight time. :)
 
For those that will not round up it is simple. Just send them Nick's avatar.
 
Hobbs? Isn't he a comic strip character?
 
1. You're renting the plane your your BFR. You round up.

2. The guy after you is renting the plane for his BFR. You round down.
 
What you have to pay for, you also get to log. Each hour of PIC time is built 0.1 at a time!
 
Erice said:
What you have to pay for, you also get to log. Each hour of PIC time is built 0.1 at a time!
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I always log clock time. I've found Hobbs to be quite a bit off from real time.
 
SkyHog said:
I always log clock time. I've found Hobbs to be quite a bit off from real time.
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images


oh.....maybe WE'VE been misled
 
Timmer said:
My instructor taught me: "Hobbs karma." Round up! It's always nice to get into a plane and find the previous renter rounded up. It's also more likely to avoid Hobbs counting errors.
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Did you ever consider the fact that he makes more money when you round up?
 
Round up it all works out in the end. Best solution is log Hobbs pay tach time.
 
Took a club plane up the other day where the last guy logged this as .5 (see pic)
 

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I started out with the intention of being a "real" pilot and going to the airlines someday. :rofl: (Life has a funny way to getting in the way.) So for me it made no sense to round down. The whole purpose of flying was to build hours. I don't rent much anymore, but I still round up when I do.

Jim
 
Always round up, even if you can just barely see the next number. If someone doesn't round up just write in the number they were supposed to put for your start time. When I see this I hope they simply didn't know any better. If they did it on purpose I find it sad that a teenager in high school with a part time job will take the responsibility to pay and they won't. The good thing is I don't encounter this problem very often.
 
ebykowsky said:
Took a club plane up the other day where the last guy logged this as .5 (see pic)
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I'm assume this is what you want to hear so here it goes:

The last renter is a jerk.

At the end of the day though, you logged .1 hours more than you would have if he logged it as a .6. Would you really notice 6 minutes less flying?
 
Brad Z said:
I'm assume this is what you want to hear so here it goes:

The last renter is a jerk.

At the end of the day though, you logged .1 hours more than you would have if he logged it as a .6. Would you really notice 6 minutes less flying?
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This is only applicable if you care about logging time. If you care about using the airplane to get a job done, $13 extra expense is what is a greater concern.
 
At KEDU, if you can see any part of the next number, you round up. Yes, I've paid for another pilot, but I've already gotten it back in return. Hobbs karma.
 
david0tey said:
Did you ever consider the fact that he makes more money when you round up?
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No. I've paid for my CFI on block time, not Hobbs time. When I've had a 90 min. lesson that starts and ends on schedule, including pre-brief and de-brief, I've paid for 1.5 hours of CFI time, plus the plane according to whatever the Hobbs meter said (and honestly I don't ever remember being in the middle one way or the other).
 
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