Is a digital pilot logbook valid? How to make it audit-proof

More and more pilots keep their logbook on a phone instead of paper. A common question follows: will my authority, my examiner or an airline accept it? Here is what the rules actually require, and how to make sure your digital logbook holds up when someone checks it.

What EASA requires

EASA Part-FCL (FCL.050) requires pilots to keep a reliable record of the details of all flights flown, in a manner acceptable to the competent authority. The acceptable means of compliance describe what must be recorded — date, places, times, aircraft, function, take-offs and landings, simulator sessions and so on — but the rule is about the content and its reliability, not about paper.

In other words: the question is not "paper or digital?", but "is the record complete, reliable and verifiable?"

What makes a record "reliable"

An inspector or examiner looks for the same things on paper and on screen:

• Every required column filled in consistently
• Totals that add up, page by page and carried forward
• No silent changes: corrections are visible, not erased
• Signed pages, so the pilot certifies the entries
• A printable copy in a recognisable layout

6 steps to an audit-proof digital logbook

1. Use the standard layout. A logbook that follows the EASA/Jeppesen column order is instantly readable by any examiner.
2. Sign your pages. Sign each page once it is complete, as you would on paper.
3. Keep a history of changes. A good digital logbook keeps every version of every line, so a correction never looks like falsification.
4. Carry forward your paper totals. Enter the totals of your previous logbooks once, so your grand totals are complete.
5. Export a printed copy regularly. Keep a recent PDF, ideally with signatures, for checks and licence applications.
6. Keep backups. Your record must survive a lost phone.

How The Pilot Log covers this

• Classic EASA/Jeppesen layout, with page totals, previous totals and grand totals
• Page signatures, sealed with a fingerprint of the page content so any later change is detectable
• Full history of every line
• PDF export in the logbook layout, plus CSV and JSON
• Encrypted storage and daily off-site backups

Try it free for 30 days — no card needed.

Acceptance is ultimately decided by your competent authority. If you are using your logbook for a licence application, check its requirements first.