Why do you need a an aircraft log?
If you have flight-time based maintenance, you have to keep track of the flight time somehow. You also want to keep track of fuel and oil consumption, make notes of problems with the aircraft etc. Whether you call this document an “aircraft log” or not is, I guess, a matter of terminology.
Maintenance, however, would be based on the airframe, engine and propeller logbooks.
These are normally held by the maintenance company (despite this being a very bad idea). They should never live in the aircraft.
The “journey log” is a different thing which does live in the aircraft.
Possibly, people write up the first three logbooks from the entries in the journey log. That’s what I do.
There is a nice US-made journey logbook which I use and which is nice and compact. There was a link to it posted on EuroGA some months ago. One could buy it from the USA or from a pilot shop in France which did not ship outside France.
Maintenance, however, would be based on the airframe, engine and propeller logbooks.
You can’t use those logbooks to tell how much flight time the aircraft has accumulated. You could use a tacho or Hobbs meter, but if the maintenance is flight time-based, you have to keep a record of flights.
Aiborne “You can’t use those logbooks to tell how much flight time the aircraft has accumulated.”
Why not. the only thing not in those logs is the flight since last entry. That can be seen on the Hobbs or Tac meter. The reason we N reg use aircraft logs is to see who used the plane and for how long so they can be billed. Also to see if the pilot went were the club or insurance does not allow. A single owner really does not need an aircraft log since everything is in his Pilots log (where he went and when as well as for duration) and Maintenance Log.
I guess with all these fancy electronic gadgets I suppose if I was pressed I could open up the flights stored on my G 496. It looks like its permanently mounted but it isnt. But that shouldnt make a difference because a journey log isnt chained to the airframe either.
Why not. the only thing not in those logs is the flight since last entry. That can be seen on the Hobbs or Tac meter.
Hobbs and Tach meters don’t measure airborne time. (Unless a Hobbs meter is connected to a squat switch.)
A single owner really does not need an aircraft log since everything is in his Pilots log (where he went and when as well as for duration)
No – the flight duration in the pilot’s log is block time – not airborne time.
Anyone have the answer to this?
C210, based on my car based experience you’re good to go. I now drive a car that was brought into Poland this route, exempt from all taxes and tariffs. It had to be privately owned by the importer for 1 year and could not be operated without him being present (if caught, all fees are due, plus penalties). After a year it’s usable (and sellable) without any issues. When bought by a LLC it is treated like any other purchase from a private person. If I’m ever able to afford a US based plane this is most likely the exact way it’s going to happen (planes, boats, etc. all qualify if you can claim they are personal, not for business, at time of import – what happens a year later is irrelevant).
These are normally held by the maintenance company (despite this being a very bad idea). They should never live in the aircraft.
The “journey log” is a different thing which does live in the aircraft.
Possibly, people write up the first three logbooks from the entries in the journey log. That’s what I do.
I’m flabbergasted that people let the maintenance company keep their logbooks. I’d never allow that, and if a maintenance company insisted I’d tell them to pound sand.
Our journey log was a WHSmith notebook until last week, when I decided it had become too tatty and made up a custom one.
I don’t fly with my pilot log book either for the same reason I don’t fly with the aircraft logs – it’s also too valuable to lose. I just periodically take the journey log home with me and transcribe it to all the relevant other logbooks.
Thanks TMO that makes me feel a lot better meeting up with the French or Spanish or even Italian Customs.
Airborne Happy to be having this discussion. I will check to see if my Tac meter is connected to the squat switch. I dont think it is. The 496 which I use for my pilots log becomes active after 60kts is reached. I can see how anyone can taxi around the airport to and from the runup area and put a 1/2 hr of flight time in his log books.
Something that nobody mentioned is the plane that was siezed for VAT and being past TBO on the engines. If it was a private part 91 plane it does not have to comply with TBO since it is a N reg. Now if it was part 135 that would be a different story. Anyone know under what rules the twin was operating under?
Are you referring to my report about a N-reg Seneca (white with red markings) impounded at the Bergerac airport last fall?
Concerning the engines being above TBO I was merely referring to what someone at the Aeroclub told me, and IIRC I put it in quotes for that very reason. From what I was told I would assume it is Part 91, and TBO therefore being irrelevant.
One of the reasons I mentioned it here was that I hoped someone else on this forum might have additional information from a more reliable source…
