FAQ & Regulatory Reference

Yes. 14 CFR §61.51(a) requires pilots to document and record training time and aeronautical experience "in a manner acceptable to the Administrator." The FAA does not require a specific format — paper, electronic, or any other reliable record qualifies. Additionally, the FAA has explicitly clarified that the use of an electronic recordkeeping system under Part 61 does not require formal FAA approval, acceptance, or authorization.

Source: 14 CFR §61.51(a) | FAA CFI Notebook — Rules & Regulations

Per 14 CFR §61.51(b), the minimum required for every flight entry is:

(1) Date
(2) Total flight or lesson time
(3) Location or route of flight (departure and arrival airports)
(4) Type and identification of aircraft (make/model and tail number)
(5) Name of any safety pilot, if required by §91.109

Additional time categories (PIC, SIC, night, instrument, cross-country, etc.) are recorded based on what applies to the specific flight. Flapslog includes fields for all required and commonly used optional categories.

Source: 14 CFR §61.51(b)

Not every flight is legally required to be logged. 14 CFR §61.51(a) requires you to document training and aeronautical experience used to meet certificate, rating, or flight review requirements, and the aeronautical experience required for currency. However, aviation professionals widely recommend logging all flights as a best practice, since a complete record is valuable for insurance purposes, airline applications, and career tracking.

Source: 14 CFR §61.51(a) | AOPA — Logbooks and Logging Time

Electronic logbooks are widely accepted in the aviation industry. The FAA itself does not distinguish between paper and electronic logbooks for certification purposes. Airlines and training programs generally accept electronic logbooks, and many specifically request them because they are easier to verify and audit.

Important note for airline applicants: Some airlines or training programs may have their own internal policies regarding logbook format. We recommend confirming with your specific employer or program what format they prefer for interview submissions.

Source: AOPA — Logbooks and Logging Time | Pilots of America Community Forum (2021)

Your records are protected in several ways. First, Flapslog stores all flight data in a secure database with permanent record retention. Second, you can export your complete logbook at any time as a CSV file (opens in Excel or Google Sheets) or as a CSV backup file that can be re-imported into Flapslog or another system.

We strongly recommend exporting a backup periodically and storing it in a safe location — the same way you would scan or photograph a paper logbook. If you cancel your account, you have 60 days to export all your data before it is permanently deleted.

Yes. The FAA has clarified that electronic signatures are acceptable under Part 61. The use of an electronic signature under Parts 61, 63, 65, 91, 137, and 183 does not require formal FAA approval or authorization.

14 CFR §61.189 requires flight instructors to sign the logbook of each person to whom they give flight or ground training in a legible manner, and to include their certificate number and expiration date. This requirement can be satisfied electronically.

Flapslog is building a DocuSign-integrated endorsement feature that will allow CFIs to digitally sign logbook entries. Until that feature launches, pilots should retain paper copies of any CFI endorsements.

Source: 14 CFR §61.189 | FAA CFI Notebook — Instructor Endorsement Guide

Common endorsements that require a CFI signature in the logbook include:

Student pilots: Pre-solo aeronautical knowledge, solo flight, solo cross-country
All certificates: Practical test (checkride) endorsement
All pilots: Flight review (BFR) completion — 14 CFR §61.56
Instrument rated: Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) — 14 CFR §61.57
Additional ratings: Complex, high-performance, tailwheel, high-altitude endorsements
TSA requirement: Citizenship verification endorsement for initial certificates

The complete list of endorsements and exact required language is found in FAA Advisory Circular AC 61-65J.

Source: AC 61-65J | 14 CFR §61.56, §61.57, §61.189

Per 14 CFR §61.51(e), a pilot may log PIC time when they are:

(1) The sole occupant of the aircraft
(2) The sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which they are rated
(3) Acting as PIC of an operation that requires more than one pilot

An important distinction: more than one person can log PIC time on a given flight, but only one person can act as PIC at any given time. For example, a student pilot who is the sole manipulator of the controls during dual instruction may log PIC time while the CFI also logs PIC time as the acting PIC.

Source: 14 CFR §61.51(e) | AOPA — Logbooks and Logging Time

Per 14 CFR §61.51(g), a person may log instrument time only for flight time when the aircraft is operated solely by reference to instruments under actual or simulated instrument flight conditions.

For instrument currency purposes under §61.57(c), you must also record in your logbook the location and type of each instrument approach accomplished, and the name of the safety pilot if one is required.

Flapslog includes separate fields for actual instrument time, simulated instrument time, number of approaches, and approach types to satisfy these requirements.

Source: 14 CFR §61.51(g) | FAA InFO 15012

Cross-country time has different definitions depending on the purpose:

For most certificate and rating requirements (14 CFR §61.1(b)(3)(ii)): Flight that includes a landing at a point other than the departure airport, and involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems.

For private pilot cross-country experience (§61.109): Must be to an airport more than 50 nautical miles from the original departure point.

AOPA recommends logging all cross-country hours and noting the distance and landing information in the remarks column, since different requirements (certificates, airline applications, insurance) may use different distance thresholds.

Source: 14 CFR §61.1(b)(3) | AOPA — Logbooks and Logging Time

Yes, under certain conditions. Per 14 CFR §61.51(b), time in a full flight simulator, flight training device, or aviation training device may be logged when an authorized instructor is present to observe and signs the logbook to verify the time and content of the training.

Full Flight Simulators (Level C/D) approved under 14 CFR Part 60 can be used to log specific training events, approaches, and instrument time. However, simulator time generally does not count toward total flight time unless specifically authorized (such as in Part 121 airline training programs).

Flapslog includes a dedicated Ground Trainer/Sim field for tracking this time separately from actual flight time.

Source: 14 CFR §61.51(b)(4) | Rotate Pilot Logbook Guide (2026)

The Free plan allows you to log up to 5 flights at no cost. This gives you a chance to explore Flapslog's interface and features before committing to a paid plan. The Free plan includes CSV export of your flight records. Upgrade to Pilot for unlimited flights and all features.

Free: $0 — 5 flights, no export
Pilot Monthly: $4.99/month — unlimited flights, all features, CSV/JSON export
Pilot Annual: $39.99/year — same as Pilot Monthly, billed annually (saves ~$20/year)
CFI Monthly: $9.99/month — everything in Pilot plus CFI-specific tools
CFI Annual: $69.00/year — same as CFI Monthly, billed annually
Lifetime: $99.00 one-time — all features, never pay again

If you cancel your Flapslog account, your flight data remains accessible for 60 days from the date of cancellation. During this period you can log in and export your complete logbook as a CSV or JSON file. After 60 days, your account and all associated flight data are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

We strongly recommend exporting a backup before cancelling.

Yes. Each Flapslog account is completely private. No pilot can see another pilot's flight records. All data is stored in a dedicated PostgreSQL database on a private server. The application is served exclusively over HTTPS (TLS encrypted). Flapslog does not sell or share your personal data with third parties.