The Private Pilot's Logbook

A private pilot usually is obliged to keep the count of his flight times on a logbook. His logbook is usually delivered to a pilote since the beginning of his training and thus contains too his formation flight times. The logbook also serves each year to the renewal of the PPL through checking whether the pilot had logged the required flight times. A private pilot is the sole responsible for his logbook and mentions. Logging one's flight time is done after each flight, when back to the pilots room. That and the following may be specific to national regulations

A private pilot logbook usually is designed with a set of columns which contain the following rubrics. Date, Type and Immatriculation of the plane, Function Aboard, Nature of The Flight, Flight Time (with the following under-columns: single engine plane, double-command/captain, twin engine plane double-command/captain/FO). A total of the flight times in each category is established at the bottom of the page when the end of it is reached as that total is reported back at the top of the following page. A column is dedicated to observations and visas, where the official visas required during a training, or the yearly renewal are applied; it also serves to write down aerial incidents or accidents

As far as the 'Function Aboard' is concerned, 'pilot' or 'FO' is written down, function of the plane. 'Pilot' too is written down even for a formation, or training flight when performed in double-command under the responsability of a flight instructor, of those your formation training flights. As far as the 'Nature of the Flight' is concerned, a private pilot flying VFR mostly will write, under a abbreviated form, whether the flight was a training one, a formation training one in double-command, a local flight or a navigation (with the mention of each leg). Another mention may be 'mountainous flight'. Pilots flying IFR will note it down as those flying like a sailplane tow-pilot, parachutage pilot, aerobatics will write down that specific nature of their flight. Mentions may add, like 'aerobatics training', or 'navigation training'

As far as the flight time is concerned, time is noted to the minute, like 0:21, or 1:12. A flight is considered beginning with engine start and ending with the plane secured. A pilot notes those times, aboard the plane, on his flight sheets. Are double-command flight times everything which is a flight executed under the responsability of a flight instructor, especially the formation training flights. Are captain flight times any flight performed with the pilot the sol responsible for the plane as the pilot in command. In the case of a twin engine necessitating a co-pilot and allowed to private pilots, flight time is then attributed to the FO column

It's easy to use the Logbook item in FS -as if, or modified- as you may also easily make a one from scratch. Such a logbook in a French version only is available on the French-speaking version of that tutorial