Digital logbook recommendations

[Blueontop]

Just about to finish my first logbook and definitely want to switch to a digital format. Who can point me in the direction of a good digital logbook? I prefer a non subscription logbook but all recommendations are welcome!

[bobclown]

I just bought excelpilotlogbook

https://excelpilotlogbook.com/
and it`s working great
B

[porcsord]

Excel Spreadsheet.

You can always add details, columns, have it tally any combination of permutations, easy to backup, almost a universal format.

[Adam Oke]

I used an excel spreadsheet in the past. Worked great.

That being said, if you will find yourself at an airline -- the sooner you get organized with a digital logbook the better. The fact that it takes your roster and automatically inputs into your logbook is worth it's weight in gold.

mccPilotLog is a one time payment logbook and well worth the money. I've been using it for a few years now and they seem to be actively updating. They took my excel spreadsheet and input all the data into the logbook for me -- though it wasn't exactly seamless due to my spreadsheet format, it made the process MUCH easier.

I bought the PRO version and cheat the system a little bit. If you want "cloud service" you can buy the ENT ... or just save your data log to your own cloud (google drive in my case).

[broken_slinky]

Excel Spreadsheet.

You can always add details, columns, have it tally any combination of permutations, easy to backup, almost a universal format.

That's what I use. Did the Google and found one that automatically keeps track of currency on types, etc...
Save it to the cloud and it's accessible wherever and whenever...
As Porcsord mentioned, with Excel is you can manipulate the data anyway you need. Graph your monthly hours, add expenses, etc...
I added additional sheets to calculate weight and balances, automatically do the decimal calculations of the flight time based on the wheels up and down time, etc...

[goleafsgo]

I use flighting.in. It's free and pretty good but I always feel like they're gonna shut down at anytime

[Ray Darr]

I also suggest you pay for the mccPILOTLOG pro version, hands down. It's only 39 Euros for the Pro.
They have lifetime support, so this is a good deal. And I assure you their support has been excellent.
Plus they listen to, and implement suggestions!

[AirFrame]

I started with a simple Excel spreadsheet, and over time grew it as needed to include a summary sheet with currency time totals for aircraft type and even specific aircraft. Put all the data for your flights on one tab of the spreadsheet, and do the summary work on another. That way you always have a clean sheet of just data that you could give to a company to transcribe for you if you need/want to move to a more formal package later.

[co-joe]

+1 for DIY excel spreadsheet.

[geneticistx]

I started with mcc. hated it. now with logtenpro

[HiFlyChick]

+1 for DIY Excel spreadsheet for me, too!

I's not like Microsoft or Excel's gonna go away. Do you really want to get 15 yrs in with a data file that is no longer readable by your OS, created by a company that disappeared 5 yrs ago...?
(Happened to me with a family tree program that I spent so many hours filling in, and that amount of data is nothing compared to the flights you accumulate over a career)

[TG]

+1 for DIY Excel spreadsheet for me, too!

I's not like Microsoft or Excel's gonna go away. Do you really want to get 15 yrs in with a data file that is no longer readable by your OS, created by a company that disappeared 5 yrs ago...?
(Happened to me with a family tree program that I spent so many hours filling in, and that amount of data is nothing compared to the flights you accumulate over a career)

Smart company like mccPILOTLOG will do the conversion.
I say smart only because it is a good way to attract customers in this kind of business.

If your old electronic logbook program is not on their list as being transferable, it will eventually if you put the request.
That’s exactly why I went with them, I was stuck with an old program that could not be upgraded to the point it would stop working/being recognized, they did the conversion. Also it wasn’t flawless mainly because of the way I was logging things (like Adam Oke above) but once you are done there is no issues.

[AirFrame]

Then you're stuck with mcc until they go out of business taking your data with them. Or is there a way to back up the data from mcc locally in a non-encrypted, non-proprietary format?

[Adam Oke]

Then you're stuck with mcc until they go out of business taking your data with them. Or is there a way to back up the data from mcc locally in a non-encrypted, non-proprietary format?

You can export to excel or notepad if you would like to jump ship and try a different program.

[Blueontop]

Excel Spreadsheet.

You can always add details, columns, have it tally any combination of permutations, easy to backup, almost a universal format.

That's what I use. Did the Google and found one that automatically keeps track of currency on types, etc...
Save it to the cloud and it's accessible wherever and whenever...
As Porcsord mentioned, with Excel is you can manipulate the data anyway you need. Graph your monthly hours, add expenses, etc...
I added additional sheets to calculate weight and balances, automatically do the decimal calculations of the flight time based on the wheels up and down time, etc...

There are pilot logbook excel files available for free to download off the internet?

[AirFrame]

There are pilot logbook excel files available for free to download off the internet?

PM me your email and i'll send you mine.

[broken_slinky]

Can send you a copy of mine as well. Just PM me your email too.

[AirDoan]

I have a couple different versions I use. I'm a pragmatist and have two types, on two clouds plus my paper...... I've seen clouds fail and coffee/fire/other forms of unforeseen destruction of paper or locally stored data.

Of you'd like to see mine, send me a PM. For those above if love to see what yours is like! I'm not very good on excel (it took forever to get these working) and would like to see something that airline guys are actively using.

[WhataYoke]

.

[AirFrame]

Been looking to make the switch to Digital. Early stages of commercial right now. MCC has alot of info which I wont need and I find over complicated for where I am. Can anyone vouch for the excel pilot logbook? They want $50 for it, debating if its worth it

Honestly, you can put together your own logbook spreadsheet in less time than it takes to read this whole thread. Just create a set of headings that match the headings in your paper logbook, and start logging. If something else gets added to your flying career, add columns for it (like multi-engine, or tailwheel time, etc.).

If you do it as one row per flight, with every row just text or numeric entry and no formulas, you'll always have a clean data set that's portable to any other spreadsheet, an employer's database (or corporate flight-logging platform), wherever you might want to.

On a separate tab, do the math with any formulas needed. That's where you can have the spreadsheet calculate currency, totals, times on type, etc.

[Hilroy]

Is there any issues with ATPL application if you only bring the pages of your electronic logbook?

[Adam Oke]

Is there any issues with ATPL application if you only bring the pages of your electronic logbook?

I printed out my MCCPilotLog (now CrewLounge PilotLog) and spiral bound it to look presentable. Digital signatures on each page. No questions asked.

[complexintentions]

Any good proprietary logbook software will have the option to output your data in a more raw format (ie .csv, comma delimited etc) so the fear of losing your data due to obsolescence is a bit overblown. Excel is great for complex accounting, total overkill for a logbook, and fugly as any other MS product. But it is ubiquitous.

I've been using LogTen Pro forever, but I was given lifetime licenses for the desktop, iPhone and iPad versions after I complained to them about the ridiculous, never-ending upgrade charges. I won't give them money ever again and certainly won't pay inflated subscription charges just to sync my data. So I just record my flight times in the spreadsheet (Apple Numbers/iCloud) I use for each flight (my electronic version of the personal checklists many use) and then transfer the times to the desktop version of LT Pro. Don't bother with the iOS versions of LT at all. A hybrid system I guess you could say, with no ongoing costs. Probably if I was starting from now I'd take a look at MCCPilot or whatever it's called.

Bottom line, unless you're certain you're going to be at the same employer for life get an electronic logbook. Or else be ready to spend crazy amounts of time with a calculator when it comes time to fill in a job application.

[Adam Oke]

A hybrid system I guess you could say, with no ongoing costs. Probably if I was starting from now I'd take a look at MCCPilot or whatever it's called.

Unfortunately, MCCPilotLog (now CrewLounge PilotLog) has moved towards a subscription based system. I was able to be grandfathered in with a lifetime subscription, but I think new subscribers are out of luck.

[AirDoan]

So, can mcc or LogTen also track duty and flight times for you? I've been using a spreadsheet an old employer was using but it is set up for the old rules.