Signing your logbook?

Mike Smith

Mike Smith

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I just got a new logbook. I bought the Flywrite logbook/journal so I could keep everything in one place during my training. Give my instructor plenty of space for notes, comments and debreif. There is nowhere to sign it. I have seen in other logbooks a place at the bottom that says something to the effect of "i hereby certify this to be accurate,,blah, blah, blah..." This one has nothing. I read 61.51 and find nothing to require a signature on eack page. So my question is, is a signature required? (I am not talking about endorsements, it has a place for that) And if it is required, can it just be a signature at the bottom of the page?
 
mikeinbama said:
I just got a new logbook. I bought the Flywrite logbook/journal so I could keep everything in one place during my training. Give my instructor plenty of space for notes, comments and debreif. There is nowhere to sign it. I have seen in other logbooks a place at the bottom that says something to the effect of "i hereby certify this to be accurate,,blah, blah, blah..." This one has nothing. I read 61.51 and find nothing to require a signature on eack page. So my question is, is a signature required? (I am not talking about endorsements, it has a place for that) And if it is required, can it just be a signature at the bottom of the page?
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I've never signed my log book. And there isn't any thing like a "certify to be accurate" thing anywhere in it. Hasn't seemed to be a problem for instructors or examiners.
 
Mine has a signature at the bottom. But I go an extra step and add a statement and date that I conducted a self-audit next to the signature (or just above it). I started doing this when I found arithmetic errors a few pages back and it was a mess to correct. I also try to remember to use pencil in my logbook until I finish the page and then do my audit. But since I've become more careful, I've also become lazy and just fill out in ink.
 
I signed all pages in my logbook just before check ride since I've been told the DPE will check all paperwork, every endorsement and numbers to be accurate and current. Didn't want to take a chance on this one. Now I'm signing pages just to be consistent.
 
Publishers of logbooks know that pilots are a bunch of narcissistic egomaniacs. With that in mind, they thoughtfully provide a space on every page of the book where we can give ourselves an autograph.
 
Telemakhos said:
Publishers of logbooks know that pilots are a bunch of narcissistic egomaniacs. With that in mind, they thoughtfully provide a space on every page of the book where we can give ourselves an autograph.
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You didn't have to say it twice:rofl:.
 
If one were to sign their logbook to the purpose that they are certifying every entry therein as true and accurate, they could sign once and on the very last page. This because such signature follows after an entry. The signature is valid from after the logbook contains only the first entry all the way until the logbook is full.
 
i picked up a logbook from local fbo and it has space at the bottom of every page for a signature and totals for both that page and also a running total.
 
mikeinbama said:
I just got a new logbook. I bought the Flywrite logbook/journal so I could keep everything in one place during my training. Give my instructor plenty of space for notes, comments and debreif. There is nowhere to sign it. I have seen in other logbooks a place at the bottom that says something to the effect of "i hereby certify this to be accurate,,blah, blah, blah..." This one has nothing. I read 61.51 and find nothing to require a signature on eack page. So my question is, is a signature required? (I am not talking about endorsements, it has a place for that) And if it is required, can it just be a signature at the bottom of the page?
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The instructor should sign every entry on the line that records that flight next to his notes on what was covered. There is a STD format form him/her to follow.

The sig at the bottom of each page is for you that all entries are correct and the math for total columns are correct. Once I sign that page I know I have reviewed and checked the math and I need not go back to it again.
 
That's the thing.....this logbook doesn't have a signature line anywhere....I guess I could just sign anywhere at the bottom.

Sent from my Ally using Tapatalk
 
mikeinbama said:
That's the thing.....this logbook doesn't have a signature line anywhere....I guess I could just sign anywhere at the bottom.

Sent from my Ally using Tapatalk
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With respect to logbook entries what does the FAR say? A logbook could be binded sheets of blank paper for all the FAA is concerned. The various pilot paraphernalia producers hawk their wares to simplify for the pilot. Just because a particular logbook has its own format does not mean you have to follow it. To wit: if there is not a signature line provided, make your own.

EDIT: I'm on my 3rd flight logbook. No page in any of the logbooks is signed by me. If a prospective employer or the FAA should ever insist upon such sig, I'll sign in their presence. And that sig will be once only at the end of each book, including any book not yet full.
 
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Hard to say ive been told many things arent considered a legal document by the faa... until signed by pic...and good argument to be made both ways on a logbook
 
I just took a checkride without the last four pages of my logbook having been signed by me. The DPE either didn't notice or didn't care.
 
I've taken the last +-20 checkrides without anyone looking at my logbook...
 
taters said:
Hard to say ive been told many things arent considered a legal document by the faa... until signed by pic...and good argument to be made both ways on a logbook
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Yeah, we've all heard and been told. But until it it comes straight from the horse's mouth, ie, the FAA whinnies, it's nowhere, man. Your 8410 carries the weight.
 
I've always signed my [Jeppesen] logbook pages at the bottom, just because the blank signature line is there. But there are things the the logbook does not account for--the biggest one is Daytime/Nighttime landings. It has one column each for take-offs and landings. I always figured that I'd do one landing for every take-off, so I re-titled those columns Daytime landings/Nighttime landings. Another bit of information it doesn't provide for is glider time. I just put it in a different column, and re-label that column.

I realize that in multi-crew situations, sometimes one pilot will do the take-off and the other will do the landing. If I ever get to that point where I need to keep track of those separately, I will have to repurpose some other column.

My point is, the logbook may not have places for everything you want to keep track of, and it may have places for things you don't need to keep track of. It is up to you to make it what you need.
 
Artiom said:
This is what forums are about, aren't they? :confused:
If in doubt -ask!
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It wasn't intended to be a flame but my comment was intended to be very specific. A first post what asks whether he has to sign the logbook; a later post that, after posts that indicate it's not required, that he's going to do it anyway, even if he has to add a space for it.

If I'm going to screech to a stop at all yellow traffic lights whether I have to or not, why bother asking if I have to?
 
Mike, jokes about signing or not aside, I'm familiar with the Flywrite system and always thought it was an excellent concept.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Mike, jokes about signing or not aside, I'm familiar with the Flywrite system and always thought it was an excellent concept.
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Mark, I had bought a journal because i wanted to keep alot of notes and such. Some to help study and some to help my pea brain remember the flying itself. When it was time to buy a logbook, I was just fishing around and stumbled on it. I thought it was a neat concept to have flight info, journal info and costs all in one. Before I even posted this I went to the FAR's and read 61.51. It didnt mention anything about a signature one way or the other so thought I would throw it out here. And as you can see from the responses, there is no clear answer. No, I dont think I have to. Yes,i am going to.......I have sooooooo many lines per page I gotta fill it up with something. Also, i dont have thin skin, I knew you were just poking fun, and i was just giving it back. I kinda like that kind of banter.:D
 
Look at the flight logbooks of Ernest K. Gann. They read like love affairs. He may take several lines to write several lines in his flourishing style about even a single flight. An uncle of mine was also like that. Several times he flew clear across the country in a T-Craft or Cub. His books are a treasure to read. I too have been known to devote several lines to just a single flight to make it more memorable.

As long as the log contains the FAR mandated information, what is to limit how you record a flight? IOW, the book can be a flight log and a journal.
 
mikeinbama said:
Mark, I had bought a journal because i wanted to keep alot of notes and such. Some to help study and some to help my pea brain remember the flying itself. When it was time to buy a logbook, I was just fishing around and stumbled on it. I thought it was a neat concept to have flight info, journal info and costs all in one. Before I even posted this I went to the FAR's and read 61.51. It didnt mention anything about a signature one way or the other so thought I would throw it out here. And as you can see from the responses, there is no clear answer. No, I dont think I have to. Yes,i am going to.......I have sooooooo many lines per page I gotta fill it up with something. Also, i dont have thin skin, I knew you were just poking fun, and i was just giving it back. I kinda like that kind of banter.:D
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Thanks :) I know it's hard to convey tone in a post, so I appreciate that you took it the way it was intended.

But there actually is a clear answer, even from the posts: No, the FAA doesn't require a signature but, yes, some individuals, including from the FAA, think it does and you might run into them along the way.

At this point in your flying, you might be surprised how common that is, but hang around and you'll hear about plenty of examples.
 
Erice said:
I've always signed my [Jeppesen] logbook pages at the bottom, just because the blank signature line is there. But there are things the the logbook does not account for--the biggest one is Daytime/Nighttime landings. It has one column each for take-offs and landings. I always figured that I'd do one landing for every take-off, so I re-titled those columns Daytime landings/Nighttime landings.
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What about night takeoffs? Night landings aren't much good without an accompanying night takeoff - You need three of each to be current for night passenger-carrying purposes...

With that in mind, what I do is just mark a little superscript "1N" or "2N" or whatever next to the big total number.

Another bit of information it doesn't provide for is glider time. I just put it in a different column, and re-label that column.
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Same here. In my logbook, "Rotorcraft Helicopter" became "ASES" and "Dual Given" became "Glider." I guess once I get my CFI, I'll need a newer, fancy-schmancy logbook that has more columns.

My point is, the logbook may not have places for everything you want to keep track of, and it may have places for things you don't need to keep track of. It is up to you to make it what you need.
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:thumbsup:
 
If you fly with a safety pilot for hood/simulated IMC time, does the safety pilot sign that line in your logbook with their cert# also?
 
MSPAviator said:
If you fly with a safety pilot for hood/simulated IMC time, does the safety pilot sign that line in your logbook with their cert# also?
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No. I just put "safety pilot: Joe Blow" at the end.
 
mikeinbama said:
I just got a new logbook. I bought the Flywrite logbook/journal so I could keep everything in one place during my training. Give my instructor plenty of space for notes, comments and debreif. There is nowhere to sign it. I have seen in other logbooks a place at the bottom that says something to the effect of "i hereby certify this to be accurate,,blah, blah, blah..." This one has nothing. I read 61.51 and find nothing to require a signature on eack page. So my question is, is a signature required? (I am not talking about endorsements, it has a place for that) And if it is required, can it just be a signature at the bottom of the page?
Click to expand...


It's all good. I would suggest that you back up this format of log which I highly approve of, with a standard format digital. If you have a smart phone, there will be several apps for that. Start with that right now as a short form record that doesn't confuse someone. When people, especially examiners and prospective employers are confused, things don't usually bode well. Keeping a journal/notebook style log for your own reference is a very good thing. It is also evidence, so be prudent....
 
Henning said:
It's all good. I would suggest that you back up this format of log which I highly approve of, with a standard format digital. If you have a smart phone, there will be several apps for that. Start with that right now as a short form record that doesn't confuse someone. When people, especially examiners and prospective employers are confused, things don't usually bode well. Keeping a journal/notebook style log for your own reference is a very good thing. It is also evidence, so be prudent....
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Good advice. Thank you!
 
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