XC Logbook

[Zachary Weller]

Good Morning Everyone,

I am not a student pilot anymore, but I would say this relates to what student pilots will learn. I was always taught that when I am logging cross countries, that I should just do a “round robin” with my departure and arrival airports being the same and not to split them up. Then in the remarks, put the route of flight.

Would this way of logging a cross country be wrong and should I split up the legs so that it shows the departure and arrival airport?

 

[asicer]

If you split it up, you might be able to string together a 61.129(a)(4)(i) commercial XC that you might not have thought about beforehand. You don't have your commercial yet, do you?

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Personal preference.

 

[Zachary Weller]

If you split it up, you might be able to string together a 61.129(a)(4)(i) commercial XC that you might not have thought about beforehand. You don't have your commercial yet, do you?

I have my PPL, I’m working on my instrument rating right now and just reached 50 XC hours. I’ll look at 61.129 and see what it says. My PPL DPE said something about it a while back, but my OCD would’ve killed me if I changed everything.

 

[TCABM]

Depends. I generally let myflightbook handle those details. Unless you need certain experience requirements for instrument and commercial, it doesn’t really matter.

 

[Zachary Weller]

Depends. I generally let myflightbook handle those details. Unless you need certain experience requirements for instrument and commercial, it doesn’t really matter.

i use LogTen on my phone and I just copy and paste everything from my logbook to there. In the remarks, I note the route of flight. What should I do if there is something I break up into 2 since I don’t have room?

 

[TCABM]

i use LogTen on my phone and I just copy and paste everything from my logbook to there. In the remarks, I note the route of flight. What should I do if there is something I break up into 2 since I don’t have room?

I don’t use LogTen, but I just hit a button on my watch for mfb and it records engine start. When I takeoff and everywhere I land, it auto records that. When I hit engine stop, it calculates it all for me.

Thinking back to this past Saturday, we flew to LBX for lunch. That was one entry because I stopped the motor. A second entry for the way home, but I took a different route, which mfb auto recorded along with flight time calcs.

Tonight I’m going to string together a round robin XC to multiple airports where each landing will be a full stop. That will probably be just one line entry.

 

[Zachary Weller]

I don’t use LogTen, but I just hit a button on my watch for mfb and it records engine start. When I takeoff and everywhere I land, it auto records that. When I hit engine stop, it calculates it all for me.

Thinking back to this past Saturday, we flew to LBX for lunch. That was one entry because I stopped the motor. A second entry for the way home, but I took a different route, which mfb auto recorded along with flight time calcs.

Tonight I’m going to string together a round robin XC to multiple airports where each landing will be a full stop. That will probably be just one line entry.

thank you for your experience! I think I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and look up that 61 reg to see if I met something!

 

[flyingpreacher]

In ForeFlight, with the tracklogs, if you stop somewhere (ie. for a $100 hamburger) you will get a separate track log for the return trip. If you are just doing Touch & Go's, then you will stay on the same track log. That has made the difference for me because it lends even more credibility if anyone ever were to check my logs.

ie. If I fly KIPT -> KAOO for lunch, then KAOO -> KIPT to get home, I have 2 tracklogs and in turn, 2 logbook entries.

If I fly KIPT -> KMDT -> KRDG -> KIPT as a single flight, it's one tracklog, so one logbook entry.

ETA: I keep a paper logbook in addition to my ForeFlight logbook, so my paper logbook reflects what I have in ForeFlight.

 

[Zachary Weller]

So, obviously I have to keep what I have logged in the past, but I think I might start separating my legs for when I engine stop. Would I be able to split up my past logs or would that be wrong because they are all signed by my instructor.

 

[Dana]

I usually split it up when I get out of the plane for more than an hour or so, or buy fuel.

 

[flyingpreacher]

So, obviously I have to keep what I have logged in the past, but I think I might start separating my legs for when I engine stop. Would I be able to split up my past logs or would that be wrong because they are all signed by my instructor.

If it's instructor signed, it's set. If it isn't (ie. solo/PIC), you can do what you like. I don't have any CFR guidance for that, just my take.

 

[Gilbert Buettner]

Either way is OK. Personally, if I shut the engine off, that flight is on one line in the logbook. In reality, you only need to log things for currency or a new rating, but I am kind of detail-oriented. Working on logbook number seven.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Even the FAA says "Personal preference." If I consider it one flight, it's one entry. If I consider it more than one flight, more than one entry.
If I an using it to meet a regulatory requirement for "a cross country flight consisting of..." the flight that meets the requirement is one entry. I think it's what DPEs expect to see most of the time and probably avoids a question or two .(My commercial solo cross country was on multiple lines because it covered multiple days. So much for taking my own advice!)

 

[schmookeeg]

I don't split mine up because I am lazy.

However, if you use some sort of electronic logbook and later want to do some sort of analysis or map tie-in, it would actually make it easier if it was just PointA-PointB instead of my own A-B-C-D-E logging of long days. FWIW

 

[TCABM]

I don't split mine up because I am lazy.

However, if you use some sort of electronic logbook and later want to do some sort of analysis or map tie-in, it would actually make it easier if it was just PointA-PointB instead of my own A-B-C-D-E logging of long days. FWIW

From myflightbook for my Saturday flight back from LBX with via PSX then direct.

 

[tsts4]

I've done it both ways. However, I generally spit the entry. Now the only time I log it as a round-robin is if I land, don't shutdown, and immediately launch back (which is a rare event for me these days).