Plastic Pilot

Pilots have to keep track of their flight time in a logbook, which contains various columns for time spent in training, as pilot in command, co-pilot, in single engine or multi engine aircraft, by day, by night, flying visually or on instruments…

To me, the best column however is the last one: Remarks and Endorsments. During initial training, my instructor had me writing down the elements of the syllabus we trained by the end of each lesson.

Later, I used to note the route flown, and I always note the name of transported passengers, together with general remarks. When flying IFR, I write down the type of approach flown, and the weather conditions, and any special event is briefly described there.

Each time I fly to a new place, I also use this space to get an airport stamp. I did not logged thousands of hours, but I can no longer remember all of my flights. When I flip through the pages of my logbook, I always stumble upon a forgotten passenger or flight.

All the other columns reflect my flight experience, and are kind of a legal and technical record. The last column is somehow of social nature, and it is like a chronicle of my flying. Several names there remind me of friends, colleagues, fellow pilots, instructors and examiners.

Without them on board, the flights recorded in my logbook would not have been the same, so I’m happy that I started the habit of tracking more that departure - destination - aircraft and time. That might sound sentimental, particularly to commercial and airline pilots, but for me flying is a passion and a hobby.

All what remains by the end of the day is a couple of new entries in my logbook, so yes, I’m sentimentally attached to it… Am I the only one, or do you feel the same ?