Digital vs paper pilot logbook: can you go electronic under EASA?

For decades the paper logbook has been part of every pilot’s flight bag. Today more and more pilots keep an electronic logbook instead — or alongside. Here is what you need to know before you switch.

What EASA requires

Part-FCL asks every pilot to keep a reliable record of the details of all flights flown (FCL.050). The acceptable means of compliance (AMC1 FCL.050) lists the information the record should contain — date, places and times, aircraft, flight time by condition and function, landings, simulator sessions and remarks — and offers a model page layout.

The rules focus on what you record, not on paper as such. Electronic records are widely used, and many pilots present a printed and signed copy when their authority, an examiner or an employer asks for it. Requirements for licence applications can differ between authorities, so always check with your own competent authority.

Why pilots go digital

• No arithmetic errors. Page totals, carried-forward totals and grand totals are always correct.
• Night time without guesswork. Night can be calculated from the route and civil twilight.
• Instant answers. Hours on type, PIC time, last 90 days landings or 28-day limits are one tap away.
• Nothing to lose. A paper logbook can be lost, stolen or damaged. A digital logbook with backups survives a lost flight bag.
• Always with you. Your logbook is on your phone, so you can log the flight at the gate.

What to look for in a digital logbook

1. The EASA layout. If the pages look like your paper logbook, examiners and HR departments recognise them immediately.
2. Print-ready export. You need a clean PDF in the standard layout, with your signature on each page.
3. Signing and locking. Once a page is signed, it should not be possible to quietly change it.
4. Data safety. Encryption, version history and daily off-site backups protect years of records.
5. Your data stays yours. You should be able to export everything (PDF, CSV, JSON) at any time — even after you cancel.

Should you keep your paper logbook?

Yes. Keep your previous paper logbooks safely: they remain the original record of those flights. When you start a digital logbook, carry your totals forward on the first page — exactly as you would when starting a new paper logbook — and continue from there.

How The Pilot Log helps

The Pilot Log keeps the familiar EASA / Jeppesen-style page with every column in the usual order and the three total lines at the bottom. You sign completed pages with your finger, each signed page is sealed with a SHA-256 fingerprint, and you can export the whole logbook to PDF whenever you need it. All logbook data is encrypted and backed up every day.