Helicopter Flight Information

Logging Flight Time Honestly

Several times over the last couple of years I have heard the statement, 'Don't log what you have, log what you need'. In short, no person deserves to have their ratings revoked more than someone who falsified their logbook. Time comes slowly at times it seems; this is called paying your dues. Log your time honestly, it is your reputation on the line.

Often, falsified logbooks can be seen through for several reasons. First, most pilots who think they fly 'that good', usually don't. Remember that those checking you have checked many-a-pilot who indeed had the real hours. Secondly, the FAA has your history on file. This includes your past 8710's, your medical applications as well as any test results, back ground check results, accidents or incidents, and anything else they can collect on you. Any person who has logged an average of greater than 500-hours per year will likely be scrutinized by a potential employer. There are occasions when pilots will log significantly more than 500-hours per year but usually for a very short term. These higher than normal times are not the norm, I don't care where they have flown or what they have been doing. I had a guy tell me once that he had been a logger and that he averaged way more than 8-hours a day. Well, I have been a logger to. I had another guy tell me that he averaged 8-hours a day off shore, I have never flown off shore, but I know many pilots who do; incidentally, off-shore is part 135.

Between flight instruction, hiring processes etc., I have checked many log books. I have seen incidents where instructors signed off more than 8-hours of instructional flight time in a single day, and signed their names to it in student log books. This is a violation of the regulations, and the instructor is signing his guilty plea. There are a couple of flags which always raise my eyebrow when I am reviewing a log book, or interviewing a pilot. One is the 500-hour-a-year rule mentioned above, and the other is a pilot who claims 10,000 hours or more and rounds up to the next thousand hours. That's an easy one, drop everything behind the comma, multiply it by 2 and that is how many years this pilot must have been flying professionally to have that many hours.

I always get a laugh whenever someone tries to give me excuses or reasons why someone might have loads more flight time than those averages mention above, however as yet none of these arguments ever holds water. Over time as you become familiar with the process you will learn why.

Remember that the world of aviation is very small, and helicopter aviation is smaller still. Throughout your career you will run into the same professional pilots time-after-time. The names of some become widely recognized for their accomplishments, others become recognized because of their records. Always remember:

Your integrity is your single most valuable possession; no one but you can screw it up!

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Last modified: 08/24/10