Total Flight Time
The total time elapsed from the moment the aircraft moves from the starting point to the moment it comes to rest at the destination.
Flight logging
A pilot logbook is the record of what you have flown, and it exists so that you can prove it. Every entry needs the date, the aircraft, where the flight started and ended, how long it took and in what capacity you flew. The rest is detail, and the detail is where the rules differ.
What follows is the ICAO baseline. Treat it as the floor rather than the ceiling. Your national authority can require more, so always check your own regulations for additional requirements.
Flight logging is essential for maintaining a record of a pilot's flight experience and meeting licensing requirements. Properly documented flight records are crucial for demonstrating qualifications, experience, and compliance with regulations.
A logbook entry normally contains the following:
The exact requirements differ between authorities, so check your own rules before treating any list as complete.
ICAO guidelines define various categories of flight time, including:
The total time elapsed from the moment the aircraft moves from the starting point to the moment it comes to rest at the destination.
The time during which the pilot is the sole manipulator of the controls and responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft.
The time during which the pilot is qualified as Co-Pilot and assists the PIC in the operation of the aircraft.
The time during which the pilot receives training from a qualified flight instructor.
ICAO sets the baseline. EASA and the FAA both build on it, and they do not build the same thing. PIC time is the clearest example.
Under FAA rules, more than one pilot can log PIC on the same flight, as long as each of them meets one of the conditions for logging it. Under EASA the recording works differently: PICUS and SPIC time goes in the PIC column, with the status certified in the remarks.
Same flight, same seat, different treatment depending on which system you are under. If you fly under both, or expect to convert a licence later, it is worth getting this right from the start. The PIC guide goes through both systems side by side.
Pilots typically use a physical logbook or an electronic flight log application. Physical logbooks are bound books designed for manual entries, while electronic logbooks are software or app-based tools that allow digital recording of flights.
Pilots should also document any endorsements received, such as flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks, and other certifications relevant to their license and ratings.
You certify your own records. The entries that need someone else's signature are the specific ones: dual instruction, checks, and under EASA the PICUS and SPIC time you claim. On an electronic logbook the equivalent is that entries are attributable to you and cannot be quietly changed by someone else.
For electronic logbooks, pilots should ensure proper backup of data to prevent data loss. Additionally, secure login credentials are essential to safeguard the logbook's integrity.
Periodically review the logbook for accuracy and completeness. Maintain the logbook in a safe place to prevent damage or loss.
At minimum the date, the aircraft, where the flight started and ended, the total time and the capacity in which you flew. The exact requirements differ between authorities, so check your own before treating any list as complete.
Yes. What matters is that the record is complete and that you can produce it when someone asks, not what it is written on. EASA allows electronic records that hold the required information and are available to the authority. Some authorities want signed printouts when you apply for something, so check yours before you throw the paper one away.
Not every entry. You certify your own records, but the entries that need someone else's signature are the specific ones: instruction, checks, and under EASA the PICUS and SPIC time you claim. No signature on those, no credit for them.
Yes, when the applicable rules allow it. Record it as simulator or training device time, not as aircraft flight time, and never add the two together in the same column.
Under FAA rules it is its own category, logged for the time the goggles are your primary visual reference of the surface, which is not the same as the time they are down. Under EASA there is no separate goggle column: the flight is night time like any other, and NVIS flights and hours may be recorded in the remarks column. It is worth doing, because NVIS experience is counted in flights and hours. There is more on both, and on what it is actually like from the cockpit, in flying NVG in a helicopter.
Correct it openly rather than making the original disappear. Keep a clear record of what changed and why. An honest correction is worth more than a logbook that looks perfect but does not reconcile.
Your logbook is one of the most important records you have of what you have flown. It can help establish the experience behind a licence, a rating, a job application or a regulatory requirement. Keep it accurate, keep it current, and write the remark while the flight is still fresh. You will not remember the details in ten years. The logbook will.