[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR61.51]

[Page 28-30]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICSAND SPACE
 
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 61--CERTIFICATION: PILOTS, FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS, AND GROUND INSTRUCTORS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 61.51  Pilot logbooks.

    (a) Training time and aeronautical experience. Each person must 
document and record the following time in a manner acceptable to the 
Administrator:
    (1) Training and aeronautical experience used to meet the 
requirements for a certificate, rating, or flight review of this part.
    (2) The aeronautical experience required for meeting the recent 
flight experience requirements of this part.
    (b) Logbook entries. For the purposes of meeting the requirements of 
paragraph (a) of this section, each person must enter the following 
information for each flight or lesson logged:
    (1) General--
    (i) Date.
    (ii) Total flight time or lesson time.
    (iii) Location where the aircraft departed and arrived, or for 
lessons in a flight simulator or flight training device, the location 
where the lesson occurred.
    (iv) Type and identification of aircraft, flight simulator, or 
flight training device, as appropriate.
    (v) The name of a safety pilot, if required by Sec. 91.109(b) of 
this chapter.
    (2) Type of pilot experience or training--
    (i) Solo.
    (ii) Pilot in command.
    (iii) Second in command.
    (iv) Flight and ground training received from an authorized 
instructor.

[[Page 29]]

    (v) Training received in a flight simulator or flight training 
device from an authorized instructor.
    (3) Conditions of flight--
    (i) Day or night.
    (ii) Actual instrument.
    (iii) Simulated instrument conditions in flight, a flight simulator, 
or a flight training device.
    (c) Logging of pilot time. The pilot time described in this section 
may be used to:
    (1) Apply for a certificate or rating issued under this part; or
    (2) Satisfy the recent flight experience requirements of this part.
    (d) Logging of solo flight time. Except for a student pilot 
performing the duties of pilot in command of an airship requiring more 
than one pilot flight crewmember, a pilot may log as solo flight time 
only that flight time when the pilot is the sole occupant of the 
aircraft.
    (e) Logging pilot-in-command flight time. (1) A recreational, 
private, or commercial pilot may log pilot-in- command time only for 
that flight time during which that person--
    (i) Is the sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which 
the pilot is rated;
    (ii) Is the sole occupant of the aircraft; or
    (iii) Except for a recreational pilot, is acting as pilot in command 
of an aircraft on which more than one pilot is required under the type 
certification of the aircraft or the regulations under which the flight 
is conducted.
    (2) An airline transport pilot may log as pilot-in-command time all 
of the flight time while acting as pilot-in-command of an operation 
requiring an airline transport pilot certificate.
    (3) An authorized instructor may log as pilot-in-command time all 
flight time while acting as an authorized instructor.
    (4) A student pilot may log pilot-in-command time only when the 
student pilot--
    (i) Is the sole occupant of the aircraft or is performing the duties 
of pilot of command of an airship requiring more than one pilot flight 
crewmember;
    (ii) Has a current solo flight endorsement as required under 
Sec. 61.87 of this part; and
    (iii) Is undergoing training for a pilot certificate or rating.
    (f) Logging second-in-command flight time. A person may log second-
in-command time only for that flight time during which that person:
    (1) Is qualified in accordance with the second-in-command 
requirements of Sec. 61.55 of this part, and occupies a crewmember 
station in an aircraft that requires more than one pilot by the 
aircraft's type certificate; or
    (2) Holds the appropriate category, class, and instrument rating (if 
an instrument rating is required for the flight) for the aircraft being 
flown, and more than one pilot is required under the type certification 
of the aircraft or the regulations under which the flight is being 
conducted.
    (g) Logging instrument flight time. (1) A person may log instrument 
time only for that flight time when the person operates the aircraft 
solely by reference to instruments under actual or simulated instrument 
flight conditions.
    (2) An authorized instructor may log instrument time when conducting 
instrument flight instruction in actual instrument flight conditions.
    (3) For the purposes of logging instrument time to meet the recent 
instrument experience requirements of Sec. 61.57(c) of this part, the 
following information must be recorded in the person's logbook--
    (i) The location and type of each instrument approach accomplished; 
and
    (ii) The name of the safety pilot, if required.
    (4) A flight simulator or approved flight training device may be 
used by a person to log instrument time, provided an authorized 
instructor is present during the simulated flight.
    (h) Logging training time. (1) A person may log training time when 
that person receives training from an authorized instructor in an 
aircraft, flight simulator, or flight training device.
    (2) The training time must be logged in a logbook and must:
    (i) Be endorsed in a legible manner by the authorized instructor; 
and
    (ii) Include a description of the training given, the length of the 
training lesson, and the authorized instructor's

[[Page 30]]

signature, certificate number, and certificate expiration date.
    (i) Presentation of required documents. (1) Persons must present 
their pilot certificate, medical certificate, logbook, or any other 
record required by this part for inspection upon a reasonable request 
by--
    (i) The Administrator;
    (ii) An authorized representative from the National Transportation 
Safety Board; or
    (iii) Any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer.
    (2) A student pilot must carry the following items in the aircraft 
on all solo cross-country flights as evidence of the required authorized 
instructor clearances and endorsements--
    (i) Pilot logbook;
    (ii) Student pilot certificate; and
    (iii) Any other record required by this section.
    (3) A recreational pilot must carry his or her logbook with the 
required authorized instructor endorsements on all solo flights--
    (i) That exceed 50 nautical miles from the airport at which training 
was received;
    (ii) Within airspace that requires communication with air traffic 
control;
    (iii) Conducted between sunset and sunrise; or
    (iv) In an aircraft for which the pilot does not hold an appropriate 
category or class rating.

[Doc. No. 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 61-103, 62 FR 40897, 
July 30, 1997; Amdt. 61-104, 63 FR 20286, Apr. 23, 1998]