What a student pilot flight logbook needs to record
Under 14 CFR 61.51, you must log the training and aeronautical experience you use to meet the requirements for a certificate, rating or flight review. In practice that means every lesson should capture the same core details.
- Date, aircraft make and model, and aircraft registration
- Departure and arrival airports, and any route flown
- Total flight time, plus dual received and solo time
- Cross-country, night and simulated or actual instrument time
- Takeoffs and landings, including night and towered-airport landings
- Remarks on maneuvers practiced and instructor endorsements
Why a digital flight logbook beats paper for student pilots
Paper logbooks are fine, until you have to add up 40 or more hours of columns by hand before a checkride. A digital logbook for student pilots removes that risk.
- Totals for dual, solo, night and cross-country time update the moment you save a flight
- No carry-forward arithmetic mistakes across pages
- Endorsements are stored beside the flights they relate to
- You can see progress toward private pilot minimums at any time
- Your instructor can review your record without waiting for you to bring the book
How FlightStride works as your pilot logbook
The FAA does not require a specific logbook format, and many pilots keep electronic logbooks. Confirm with your instructor and your examiner that they are comfortable with how you present your records.
- Add a flight log for each lesson with aircraft, route, times and remarks
- See total time, dual, solo, night and cross-country on your dashboard
- Keep instructor endorsements with your training record
- Link to your CFI so they can follow your progress and add logs or endorsements
- Look up airports and practice FAA written test questions in the same app
Ready for the rest of your training?
Pair your logbook with our free FAA written test practice and a training progress tracker so everything for your private pilot certificate lives in one place.