Pilot Log Books - General Guidance and Crediting of Flight Time

Requirement to hold a log book

A pilot must keep a personal log book [Civil Aviation Regulation (CAR) 5.51]
- A log book consists of a number of pages permanently bound together in such a way that pages may not be replaced or removed;
- An electronic record is not acceptable as a log book, however, a computer printout bound together in the form of a log book and maintained up to date is acceptable;
All manual entries to the log book must be made in permanent ink;
This log book is to be produced to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) when requested;
Falsification of a log book is a criminal offence;
There is no regulatory requirement to carry a personal log book on a flight.

Definitions

Approved Testing Officer: means a person who holds a delegation under regulation 5.19 or subregulation 5.41(4) to conduct a flight test.
Check Pilot: means a person approved by the Authority to conduct pilot training and proficiency checks only within a training and checking organisation established under CAR 217.
Co-pilot: means all flight time while serving in any piloting capacity other than as pilot in command.
Dual Flying: means flying in an aircraft fitted with fully functioning dual controls for the purpose of receiving flying training from a person who is authorised by the Regulations to give training.
Flight Time (Aeroplane): means the total time from the moment an aeroplane aircraft first moves for the purpose of taking-off until the moment at which it comes to rest at the end of the flight.
Note: This is synonymous with 'chock to chock', 'block to block' or 'push back to block' time.
Flight Time (Helicopter): means the total time from the moment a helicopter`s rotor blades start turning until the moment the helicopter comes to rest at the end of the flight, and the rotor blades are stopped
In Command Under Supervision (ICUS): means the flight time a co-pilot may log when performing the duties and functions of a pilot in command under the supervision of a pilot in command authorised by the operator of the aircraft for that purpose.
Note: Conditions required for ICUS to be credited are listed in CAR 5.40.
Night flying: means the flight time which accrues during the period between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight.
Pilot in Command (PIC): means the pilot responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft during flight time.
Note: CAR 224 requires that for each flight the operator shall designate one pilot to act as pilot in command.

Crediting of Flight Time

Flight time is recorded in hours and decimals of hours.

For the purpose of aggregating flying experience in a log book:

(a) Grand Total Flying Hours: is calculated by adding all numbered columns in the flight record, plus ICUS, and recording the total at the bottom of the page. Note: 100% of co-pilot time is included in the calculation of grand total flying hours.
(b) Total Aeronautical Experience: Total aeronautical experience is calculated by adding the totals of flight times recorded in each column but in such a way that that any flight time is not included more than once in the grand total hours.
Note 1: only 50% of the flight time logged as a co-pilot can be included for the purpose of calculating total aeronautical experience.
Note 2: when a co-pilot is operating ICUS, only ICUS time is logged, and NO additional logbook entry for co-pilot time can be made against the time the co-pilot was operating ICUS.

Operating Capacity and crediting of flight time

Approved Testing Officer	In nearly all cases the ATO is PIC, flight time is logged as pilot as in command.
Check Pilot	Is a person approved by the Authority to conduct pilot training and proficiency checks only within a training and checking organisation established under CAR 217.
Co-Pilot	Includes all flight time as co-pilot or second officer. Time spent as designated crew rest during a flight CANNOT be credited towards co-pilot time.
Dual Flying	Dual time is recorded in the single or multi-engine dual column.
Flight Simulator or Synthetic Trainer Time	Practice in an approved simulator or trainer may be recorded in the section provided at the rear of the log book. The instrument flight element of the simulator time may be transferred to the 'Ground' column of the Instrument Flight section of the flight record. If a Flight Simulator or Synthetic Trainer Practice section is not available in the log book, the details may be entered chronologically in the flight record, and the Instrument flight element transferred to a suitably titled column. In older log books, the 'Ground Training' or 'Simulator' column of the Instrument section of the flight record may be used for 'Ground' entries.
Grand Total Flying Hours	Grand Total Flying Hours is calculated by adding all numbered columns in the flight record, plus ICUS, and recording the total at the bottom of the page.
In Command Under Supervision (ICUS)	Includes all flight time when assigned as co-pilot acting in command under supervision as defined above:ICUS may be logged as follows: a) in log books with single and multi-engine ICUS columns, the flight time is logged accordingly and is included in the Grand Total Hours; b) if the log book does not have an ICUS column then ICUS may be logged in the Pilot in Command column as long as it is clearly identified as ICUS and the pilot in command is also identified; c) alternatively, another unused column may be used to log ICUS. Note: Pilots must ensure their log book records allow for accurate calculation of separate ICUS and PIC flight time totals.
Instrument Approaches	The number and type of approaches may be recorded in the Instrument Approach column as a record of recent experience. If such a column is not available in the log book, the number and type of approaches may be recorded in the Remarks/Route, or another suitably retitled unused column.
Instrument Time	Instrument time is recorded in the Instrument column as either 'Flight' or 'Ground'.
Instrument Flight Time	All flight time during which the aircraft was controlled solely by reference to instruments may be recorded in the instrument 'Flight' column: a) Time above overcast or at night in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) is not counted as instrument flight; b) In actual or simulated instrument conditions, only the pilot manipulating the controls or providing input to the auto-pilot may log all flight time as instrument flight; c) A flight conducted on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan is not to be counted as instrument flight unless flying in IMC; d) Instrument approaches are to be credited to the pilot (pilots, in the case of an airborne radar approach) manipulating the controls or providing input to the auto-pilot during the approach.
Instrument Ground Time	Visual and instrument flight conducted in an approved flight simulator or synthetic trainer may be recorded in the appropriate section at the rear of the log book. The instrument element of a flight conducted in a simulator or synthetic flight trainer may be transferred to the 'Ground', 'Ground Training' or 'Simulator' column in the Instrument section of the flight record.
Mutual Instructor Flying	Involves two trainee flight instructors who are qualified on the aircraft type, flying together for mutual practice on a flight instructor course. Only one trainee instructor can log the flight time as pilot in command. Note 1: Each trainee counts the flight time as contributing to their mutual flight time required for the course. Note 2: Only the trainee logging the flight time as pilot in command can contribute that flight time to the calculation of Grand Total Hours.
Pilot In Command	Includes all flight time while designated as pilot in command. Includes time spent as designated crew rest during a flight.
Route/Remarks/Details	Record all points of take-off and landing, nature of the flight (eg, mustering, aerobatics, scenic, etc) and, if required for recency, the number of landings.
Specialist/Instructor Column	The specialist column may be used for recording appropriate specialist activities; eg, glider towing, agricultural, check pilot, basic or navigation instruction. The activity involved should be clearly identified for each log book entry. This time is not to be included in the Grand Total Hours.
Summary of Experience	This section at the rear of the log book is available for use as required for type, periodical, seasonal or other summaries.
Total Aeronautical Experience	Total aeronautical experience is calculated by adding the totals of flight times recorded in each column but in such a way that that any flight time is not included more than once in the grand total hours. Note also that only 50% of the time logged as a co-pilot may be included in the total.