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Flapslog Help Guide

Everything you need to know about using Flapslog — from creating your account to exporting your logbook for an airline interview.

Contents

Getting Started

1

Create Your Account

Go to flapslog.com and click "New pilot? Create your free account →" on the login page. Fill in your full legal name, email address, username, password, FAA Certificate number, and certificate type. Your FAA Certificate number is required — it is the number printed on your FAA pilot certificate (6-10 alphanumeric characters).

2

Set Up Your Profile

After logging in, go to Settings (gear icon on desktop, Settings tab on mobile). Enter your default aircraft make/model and tail number if you fly the same plane regularly. These will pre-fill every new flight entry automatically.

3

Log Your First Flight

Click "+ Log Flight" in the navigation bar. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*). Fill in the flight details and click Save Flight. Your flight is immediately stored permanently in your logbook.

Tip: Flapslog works on any modern browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge — on iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, and Windows. No app download required.

Logging a Flight

The Log Flight form is divided into sections. Here is a walkthrough of each section.

1

Flight Details

Enter the date of the flight, your pilot name (pre-filled from your profile), and your FAA Certificate #. The date defaults to today.

2

Route

Enter your Departure and Arrival airports. You can type the ICAO code directly (e.g. KDFW) or type a city name or airport name to search. A dropdown will appear with matching airports — click to select. For flights with intermediate stops, enter them in the Intermediate Stops / Route field separated by spaces (e.g. KAUS KSAT).

3

Aircraft

Start typing in the Make / Model field and a searchable dropdown will appear with common aircraft. Selecting an aircraft will also auto-fill the Category/Class field. Enter the aircraft's Tail Number / Registration (e.g. N12345). If you fly the same aircraft regularly, set it as your default in Settings.

4

Block Times & Total Flight Time

Enter Block Out (pushback/taxi out) and Block In (chocks in/parking) times in Zulu (UTC). When you enter both times, the Total Flight Time will auto-calculate. You can override the auto-calculated time by typing directly in the Total Flight Time field. Time is entered in decimal hours (see the Decimal Time Guide below).

5

Flight Time Breakdown

Enter the applicable time categories for this flight — PIC, SIC, Dual Received, Cross-Country, Night, Actual Instrument, Simulated Instrument, etc. You only need to fill in the categories that apply to the specific flight. All fields default to 0.

6

Approaches, Holds & Landings

For instrument flights, enter the number of approaches and the approach types (a searchable dropdown is available — type "ILS", "RNAV", "VOR" etc.). For multiple approaches, select each type and separate with commas. Enter day and night landings, including full stop landings if tracking those separately.

7

Remarks

Use the Remarks field for flight conditions, notable events, endorsement text, or any other notes. This field is free text and has no character limit.

8

Save Your Flight

Click Save Flight. The entry is immediately stored permanently. If there are validation errors, they will appear above the Save button with a description of what needs to be corrected.

Important: You cannot undo a saved flight, but you can edit it at any time. Click any flight in the Logbook view to open its details, then click Edit Flight.

Field Reference

Required    Optional

FieldDescription
DateDate of the flight. Defaults to today.
Pilot NameYour full legal name. Pre-filled from your profile.
FAA Certificate #Your FAA certificate number. Pre-filled from your profile.
Departure AirportICAO or IATA airport code. Searchable by city or name.
Arrival AirportICAO or IATA airport code. Searchable by city or name.
Intermediate StopsAdditional airports in the route. Separate with spaces.
Make / ModelAircraft make and model. Searchable autocomplete.
Tail NumberAircraft N-number or registration (e.g. N12345).
Category / ClassASEL, AMEL, RH, etc. Auto-fills from aircraft selection.
Type RatingType rating if applicable (e.g. B737, A320).
Block OutDeparture time in Zulu (UTC). Used for auto-calculation.
Block InArrival time in Zulu (UTC). Used for auto-calculation.
Total Flight TimeTotal time in decimal hours. Auto-fills from block times.
PIC TimePilot-in-command time in decimal hours.
SIC TimeSecond-in-command time in decimal hours.
Dual ReceivedTime receiving instruction from a CFI.
Solo TimeTime as sole occupant of the aircraft.
Cross-CountryCross-country time per 14 CFR §61.1(b)(3).
Night TimeFlight time during night conditions per §61.51(b).
Actual InstrumentTime operating under actual IMC (in the clouds).
Simulated InstrumentTime under the hood or foggles in simulated IMC.
Ground TrainerTime in a flight simulator or FTD.
NVG TimeNight vision goggle time per §61.51.
Dual GivenFor CFIs — time given as flight instructor.
ApproachesNumber of instrument approaches flown.
Approach TypesType(s) of approaches (ILS, RNAV, VOR, etc.).
HoldsNumber of holding patterns flown.
Day LandingsTotal day landings including touch-and-go.
Night LandingsTotal night landings including touch-and-go.
Full Stop DayFull stop day landings only.
Full Stop NightFull stop night landings only.
RemarksFree text notes, endorsements, conditions.

Decimal Time Guide

Flapslog records flight time in decimal hours, which is standard in aviation. Here is a quick reference:

MinutesDecimalMinutesDecimal
6 min0.136 min0.6
12 min0.242 min0.7
18 min0.348 min0.8
24 min0.454 min0.9
30 min0.560 min1.0

Examples: 1 hour 30 minutes = 1.5  |  2 hours 15 minutes = 2.3 (rounded) or 2.25  |  45 minutes = 0.8 (rounded) or 0.75

Tip: If you enter Block Out and Block In times, Flapslog automatically calculates and fills in the Total Flight Time for you.

Airport Search

The Departure, Arrival, and Intermediate Stops fields all include airport autocomplete powered by a database of over 72,000 airports worldwide.

1

Search by Code

Type the ICAO code (e.g. KDFW) or IATA code (e.g. DFW) directly. A dropdown will appear confirming the airport. Click to select.

2

Search by City or Name

Type a city name (e.g. "Dallas") or airport name (e.g. "Love Field"). A dropdown of matching airports will appear showing the code, name, city, and region. Click to select.

3

Type Code Directly

If you already know the airport code, you can type it directly without selecting from the dropdown. The field accepts any valid airport identifier.

Tip: The airport database includes all airports in the OurAirports public domain dataset — over 72,000 airports, heliports, seaplane bases, and other facilities worldwide.

Dashboard & Totals

The Dashboard shows a running summary of all your flight time totals. It is the first screen you see when you log in.

Date Filter: Use the From and To date fields at the top right to filter totals to a specific date range. This is useful for checking currency (e.g. flights in the past 90 days) or annual summaries. Click Clear to return to all-time totals.

Recent Flights: The bottom of the Dashboard shows your 10 most recent flights. Click any row to see the full flight detail. Click View All to go to the full Logbook.

Logbook View

The Logbook shows your complete flight history in a sortable, searchable table.

Search: Type any text in the search bar to filter by airport code, tail number, aircraft type, or remarks.

Date Filter: Enter From and To dates to narrow the view to a specific period.

Sort: Click any column header to sort by that column. Click again to reverse the sort order.

View / Edit / Delete: Click any flight row to open the full detail popup. From there you can edit the flight or delete it. Deleted flights are soft-deleted and can be recovered by contacting support within 30 days.

Exporting Your Logbook

Exporting is available on paid plans (Pilot, CFI, Lifetime). There are two export formats:

1

Export CSV

Exports all your flights as a comma-separated values file. Opens directly in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or Apple Numbers. Ideal for printing, sharing with an airline, or importing into another system. Click Export CSV in the Logbook header or Settings page.

2

Exports a complete backup of all your flight data in JSON format. This file can be re-imported into Flapslog at any time using the Import feature in Settings. Store this file in a safe location (cloud drive, email to yourself) as a permanent backup.

On iPhone/iPad: When you tap Export, the iOS share sheet will appear. Choose Save to Files to save to iCloud Drive or your device, or share directly to Google Drive, Dropbox, or email.
Recommendation: Export a backup at least once a month. Store it in iCloud, Google Drive, or another cloud service. This protects your records even if you ever change logbook applications.

Settings & Profile

Access Settings via the gear icon (⚙) on desktop or the Settings tab on mobile.

Pilot Profile: Update your name, FAA Certificate #, and default aircraft. These pre-fill every new flight entry automatically.

Default Aircraft: If you fly the same plane regularly, enter the make/model and tail number here. They will appear automatically on the Log Flight form.

Change Password: Enter your current password and a new password (minimum 8 characters).

Data Management: Export CSV, Full Backup, and Import from a previous backup.

Using on Mobile (iPhone, iPad, Android)

Flapslog is fully responsive and works on any modern mobile browser. No app download is required.

Navigation: On mobile, the navigation bar appears at the bottom of the screen — Dashboard, Logbook, Log Flight, and Settings.

Add to Home Screen: On iPhone, tap the Share button in Safari, then tap Add to Home Screen. This creates an icon that opens Flapslog like a native app.

Block Times on Mobile: When entering Block Out time, the Block In field will clear. Enter your actual Block In time after the flight to get an accurate auto-calculation of total time.

Tip: Log your flight immediately after landing while the details are fresh. Block times, approaches, and weather conditions are easiest to enter right after the flight.

Account & Billing

Free Plan: Includes 5 flights. No credit card required. Upgrade anytime from your account settings.

Paid Plans: Pilot Monthly ($4.99/mo), Pilot Annual ($39.99/yr), CFI Monthly ($9.99/mo), CFI Annual ($69/yr), Lifetime ($99 one-time). Payment processing coming soon via Stripe.

Cancellation: You may cancel at any time. After cancellation, your data remains accessible for 60 days so you can export your logbook. After 60 days, all data is permanently deleted.

Reactivation: If you cancel and change your mind within the 60-day period, you can reactivate your account and all data will be restored.

Tips & Best Practices

Back up regularly. Export a CSV backup at least monthly and store it in Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox.
Log all flights. Even flights not legally required to be logged are valuable for insurance, job applications, and personal records.
Use Remarks wisely. Note flight conditions, notable events, or any endorsement text. This information is valuable years later.
Set your defaults. If you fly the same aircraft regularly, set it in Settings to speed up data entry on every flight.
CFI endorsements. Until the DocuSign endorsement feature launches, keep paper copies of all CFI signatures, flight reviews, and practical test endorsements.
Currency checks. Use the Dashboard date filter to check recent flight experience — set "From" to 90 days ago to see your recent landings and instrument currency quickly.
Cross-country logging. AOPA recommends logging all cross-country hours and noting distance in the Remarks field, since different certificate requirements and airline applications may use different distance thresholds.

Need more help? Contact us at support@flapslog.com
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