If you are wondering what the best digital log book for pilots is, you are probably not alone as someone named Chris Carlson recently asked the same question on the Ask a Flight Instructor forum:
Is anybody aware of a good iPad or PC based logbook program? I have created my own in excel, but am wanting something that can connect to an iPad, and hopefully be able to import my current excel logbook into it from the beginning.
A couple of pilots responded by suggesting LogTen with Kev Hughes noting that from what he sees, its by far the most expensive but its also the most user-friendly and “all around best product.” He added that if a pilot is looking for something that is seamless for both computers and the iPad, LogTen is the best choice.
Meanwhile, Gary Moore wrote that his personal favorite and the one he uses is Safelog by Dauntless Software. However, he did not elaborate any further as to why this is his favorite digital log book.
Someone with the user name Sidestickplayer suggested MCCpilot log as there is a free version while the enterprise edition goes for about $70 or so. There is also an iPad/iPhone app for it and you can import your data from excel.
Finally, Mark Kolber wrote that he is a big fan of cloud based solution MyFlightBook. com. Mark did caution that with any cloud-based solution, there is always the risk of something happening to the provider, but MyFlightBook.com mitigates the risk by providing the ability to download a syncable Excel spreadsheet in order to maintain your data locally plus they regularly update their product and there are both iOS and Android apps. Mark also noted he had 1,500 hours of flight time over the course of about 20 years to import from Excel and with some helpful assistance from the developer, the import went “surprisingly smooth.”
At the end of the thread, Chris thanked Mark for his MyFlightBook.com suggestion and he even wrote that myflightbook. com is “one of the best things I’ve even gotten for free!”
For those pilots that are looking for a solution that doesn’t involve the hassle of downloading software or using insecure online backups, checkout http://www.excelpilotlogbook.com – Pilot Logbook for Microsoft Excel. It allows you to keep records on your computer and easily view hour summaries, currency and limit at a glance. Very handy!
I am the author of Pilot Partner (https://pilotpartner.net). I started this project back in 1997 but went pretty quite with it for the last 10-12 years. We are in the early process of making it available to the general public again in a cloud based solution. One of the cool things that Pilot Partner does is allows you to have your Electronic Pilot Logbook and an Online Pilot Blog all at once. You can choose which flights in your logbook you want to share online and it is done. No additional fees or hosting costs required.
The ability to import your data is very important… That feature is next on my list to develop. Hopefully will have it ready before Oshkosh this year. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Ken
mccPILOTLOG by far is the best solution i’ve found. Awesome support, great price and no subscription services. One time fee and the ENT version does all I need. Was a LogTen Pro user but abandoned them due the cost structure.
I’m a mac user w/ android mobile entry. Flawless operation!
@Chris
As mac user I’m considering to go mccPILOTLOG as well though the website states it is released under BETA for mac use. Anything noticable or hindering you about this?
Hello, i’m A logten pro user and they pissed me off when on iPhone I have now to buy the new version which requires annual fees which are extremely highly for what you do with a log book. I’m still able to use it on my old iPad and Mac but Donny know for how long. Sooner or later they will find a way to render my old log ten pro 6 unusable.
What can I do with mcclogbook? Can I create smart groups to calculate hours in a specific way? Thanks…
I can also endorse myflightbook.com works flawlessly for iPhone/ipad/desktop use. If you make a donation, they will also drop a daily copy (csv) in a dropbox. not for Pro pilots trying to track duty time 117 stuff etc, but for GA – fabulous. Quick currency summary, quick 8710 summary, able to slice by dates easily
I have been using all this for free for the last 6 years.
Log ATP seems like a new iPad app that launched not too long ago.
logatp.com
I like myFLIGHTDATA.com.
here is the new one flightlogger. specialized for helicopter and other vfr pilots
I like the ROTAIR FlightLog app form https://flightmanagement.ch because it is available as iPhone / iPad, Android, Windows and web version (with reduced functionality). I use it at least once a week and love it :-)!
I use the FlyLogio online pilot logbook. It’s free and very user friendly. In addition this is the most practical and easy to use logbook on the web. You can export/import both FAA/EASA formats of course. I had looking for a good useable logbook for many years, and finally I have found this. Overall this is the best online logbook in my opinion!:) Let give it a chance, and try it!;) I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed with it! 🙂
Anyway it has a mobile application version too, for Android and iOS platforms! And these can be very useful if you want to log a flight, when you left your computer at home. 🙂
The website:
https://www.flylogio.com
I use the FlyLogio online pilot logbook. It’s free and very user friendly. In addition this is the most practical and easy to use logbook on the web. You can export/import both FAA/EASA formats of course. I had looking for a good useable logbook for many years, and finally I have found this. It has a mobile application version too, for Android and iOS platforms! And these can be very useful if you want to log a flight, when you left your computer at home. 🙂
The website: https://www.flylogio.com
Overall this is the best online logbook in my opinion!:) Let give it a chance, and try it!;) I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed with it!
https://www.flylogio.com
I just like to keep it simple with an excel spreadsheet from http://www.excelpilotlogbook.com – they don’t have expensive subscriptions like most other logbook software, it’s great!
As a commercial pilot I use Flightlog which is totally free, nice, and including lot of tools specially for pilots…
http://flightlog.io
I used LogTen Pro a couple years ago to digitize my logbooks – a tedious weekend effort (during the transfer you will also likely discover some errors that you will need to deal with in a graceful and legal way) but SO worth it – now I can query my logbook with little effort, create clean logbook copies and IACRA forms at the push of a button anytime.
Then Foreflight added a logbook for free, and since LogTen Pro is quite expensive I migrated my data. FF doesn’t offer a lot of queries (reports), but the ones that it has do the trick most of the time, and it makes collecting CFI signatures very easy as basically everyone has FF so I can easily have entries signed remotely after the fact.
When I need a more specialized query I can use the web version of FF, export a CSV of my logbook data and query the data in Excel (not everybody’s cup of tea, but I have IT background so I don’t mind it).
Since FF doesn’t do much to improve its logbook functionality I may eventually (once I become a paid pilot) move back to Logten Pro (or alike) as their built-in query/reporting capability as well as choice of logbook formats for printout purposes is very good, but for now I sure enjoy the logbook included with my FF subscription.
I paid for a one off ‘lifetime’ subscription to the enterprise edition of mccPilotLog and after a couple of years lost the ability to log on to my airline’s platform to download my flight data.
Instead of offering to fix it, they said I had to ‘upgrade’ to CrewLounge PilotLog for another $100.
Now I’m looking for another providor that isn’t going to try and rip me off a couple of years down the line, if anyone has suggestions?
I have been struggling to find an appropriate pilot logbook. So many opinions…For me, the best solution is electronic logbook app for Android and iOS https://www.rosterbuster.aero/2019/09/06/rb-group-announces-new-electronic-pilot-logbook-app/ Found these guys announcement from RB group aero. But I’m not sure whether app for both systems is good enough.
P.S. gonna to follow comments
Thank you
Feeling the same issues with logbook apps, over a casual drink with a software development friend of mine I mentioned the pricing and software problems I had over the years, he set a challenge for himself that he could come up with something better and simpler. A few years later and with input from me and other aviators, he’s done it and it’s now released. Try looking up AvionLog and see if it fits your needs.
I use My Pilot Log online pilot logbook. It was only released in 2020 so lots of features are still coming. It’s very user friendly and really simple to use. The support is also great. You can export/import both FAA/EASA. I works on most devices, web, mac, ios android etc. They have utilized new methods of apps so you can add the site to your home screen and you can use like a native application.
Also really cheap, 1 month free trial and then just £10 per year
mypilotlog.co.uk
Several years ago, I downloaded the free version of MCCPilotlog. It met my needs at the time, but then I was required to upgrade. I have had numerous problems with the software on my Windows machine. I have contacted their tech support and not received any response. Their technical support is poor. I would stay away.
From my side, entering pilot data in the electronic pilot logbook is not a key feature of digital aviation documents. Data captured from these forms must be automatically submitted to the office team. Moreover, different airline companies may have some distinctions in their documents templates, that’s why they need the ability to edit standard templates using form builders. I highly recommend trying out https://fluix.io/form-builder.
I’ve been using https://www.logbook.aero for 10 years, and it does everything I need from a digital pilot logbook. Importing from my airline portal is simple, and I can filter reports to get the data I need.
I recently found an app called Complete Aviation, I know the name is a not the best but it does everything I need from a pilots logbook. Clear and easy to use and has an AutoLog feature, it takes me 10 seconds to log a flight using ACARS and ADS-B data. I also have my roster uploaded and cab share it with my friends and family. I also saw they have METARs and TAFs available. Quite cool. Here’s the website https://completeaviation.co.uk