CAA Pilot Logbook Requirements: UK Complete Guide (2026)

Quick answer: The UK CAA requires every pilot to maintain an accurate logbook recording each flight's date, route, aircraft type and registration, total time, function (PIC/dual/co-pilot), landings, and conditions (day/night, IFR/VFR). The format follows ICAO Annex 1 and UK retained EASA Part-FCL. Electronic logbooks are fully accepted provided they capture all required fields and can be produced for inspection. Your logbook is the evidence base for licence issue, ratings, revalidation, and ATPL application — keep it indefinitely.

Why the logbook matters

The pilot logbook is the single most important career document for any UK pilot. Every licensing event draws on it:

• Initial licence issue (PPL, CPL, ATPL)
• Rating issue and revalidation (SEP, MEP, IR, night, etc.)
• Hour-building toward higher licences
• Type rating prerequisites
• Examiner and instructor authorisations

An inaccurate or incomplete logbook can delay or block licence progression. The CAA can request it at any licensing event.

What to record per flight

UK retained EASA Part-FCL (FCL.050) and ICAO Annex 1 require:

• Date of flight
• Departure point and time
• Arrival point and time
• Aircraft type and registration
• Total flight time
• Function: Pilot-in-Command (PIC), dual instruction, co-pilot, PICUS (PIC under supervision)
• Number of take-offs and landings (day and night separately)
• Operational conditions: day/night, VFR/IFR
• Special operations: instrument time, instructor time, examiner time
• Remarks: anything notable (training exercises, tests, type conversions)

Electronic vs paper logbooks

Paper logbooks

• Traditional bound logbooks (Pooleys, AFE, Transair)
• Manual entry; columns match CAA requirements
• Instructor and examiner sign directly
• No backup risk if stored safely; loss is catastrophic (consider photographing pages)

Electronic logbooks

• Fully accepted by the CAA
• Apps: LogTen, ForeFlight Logbook, SkyDemon, Capzlog, mccPILOTLOG
• Auto-calculate totals; reduce arithmetic errors
• Cloud backup protects against loss
• Must capture all required fields and be printable for inspection
• Electronic signatures or scanned instructor sign-offs accepted

See our digital vs paper flight logbook comparison and best flight logbook apps for UK pilots.

Revalidation evidence

The logbook provides the evidence for class and rating revalidation. Example — Single-Engine Piston (SEP) class rating, the most common UK GA rating:

• 12 hours flight time in the 12 months before expiry
• Including at least 6 hours as PIC
• 12 take-offs and 12 landings
• A training flight of at least 1 hour with a Flight Instructor or Class Rating Instructor

The logbook must clearly show these hours and the dated instructor sign-off for the training flight.

Signing requirements

• Solo / PIC flights — self-certified, no signature needed
• Dual instruction — must be signed by the instructor
• Skill tests and proficiency checks — signed by the examiner
• Revalidation training flights — signed by the instructor with rating reference

Hour-building and accuracy

For pilots building hours toward CPL or ATPL, logbook accuracy is critical:

• CPL requires 200 hours total time (or 150 in approved course)
• ATPL requires 1,500 hours total time
• Specific sub-categories matter: cross-country PIC, night, instrument, multi-engine
• The CAA scrutinises logbooks closely at CPL/ATPL issue — discrepancies cause delays

Common logbook mistakes

1. Inconsistent function recording (PIC vs dual when under instruction)
2. Missing instructor signatures on dual flights
3. Day/night landings not separated
4. Total-time arithmetic errors (electronic logbooks prevent this)
5. Not backing up an electronic logbook
6. Recording block time vs flight time inconsistently

Block time vs flight time

A common source of error:

• Block time — from chocks off to chocks on (taxi included)
• Flight time — from take-off to landing (airborne time)

UK GA logbooks typically record flight time. Commercial operations may use block time. Be consistent and know which your logbook uses — the CAA expects clarity.

What examiners check

At a skill test or revalidation:

• Recency requirements met (90-day rule for passenger carrying: 3 take-offs and landings in last 90 days)
• Rating validity dates
• Required hours for the licence/rating being tested
• Consistency and legibility
• Instructor sign-offs present where required

FAQs

Can I switch from paper to electronic mid-career?

Yes — transcribe your paper totals as an opening balance in the electronic logbook, keep the paper logbook as the historical record, and continue electronically. Many pilots do this.

Does the CAA accept ForeFlight or LogTen?

Yes — any electronic logbook capturing the required fields is accepted. The CAA cares about completeness and accuracy, not the specific app.

What if I lose my paper logbook?

This is serious — your hours evidence is gone. The CAA may accept reconstructed records from aircraft tech logs, instructor records, and ATC data, but it's a difficult process. Always photograph or scan paper logbook pages as backup.

How does the 90-day rule work?

To carry passengers, you must have made 3 take-offs and 3 landings in the relevant aircraft class/type within the preceding 90 days. The logbook is your evidence. For night passenger flights, at least one must be at night.

Related guides

• What is a pilot logbook? CAA requirements
• Digital vs paper flight logbook
• How to fill in a flight logbook correctly
• Best flight logbook apps for UK pilots

Last reviewed 2026-06-08 by Jamie Dawson, Editor.