Can a custom stamp serve as a signature?

Ajax

Ajax

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
A local CFI showed me that he has a custom made stamp that he uses instead of signing each flight, and going through the logbook I noticed one of my DPEs had one for our ride. Never mind the discussion about "why bother" or "does it really take that long to sign it yourself?", my question is does this meet the letter of the law and be legal?
 
Usually state law regulates what financial/legal transactions can be legally "signed" by facsimile. Federal rules obviously allow some important documents (like your IRS tax return) to be filed without a hand-written signature, so I would think it's fine but I'm not aware of any guidance.

In practice it seems dumb to me for a CFI or DPE since you're already physically filling out logbook comments/forms... so the using a stamp in that case sort of defeats the whole purpose of using a stamp overall (speed, volume, delegation)...and requires carrying around a stamper... yeah that sounds convenient :sarcasm:
 
Ajax BU said:
A local CFI showed me that he has a custom made stamp that he uses instead of signing each flight, and going through the logbook I noticed one of my DPEs had one for our ride. Never mind the discussion about "why bother" or "does it really take that long to sign it yourself?", my question is does this meet the letter of the law and be legal?
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My own logbook has stamped entries, has never been a problem. Can't imagine who would ever care, and even if then - what they could do about it (nothing).
 
I just asked one of our local DPEs and he said that he most certainly wouldn't like seeing it in a logbook.
 
Ajax BU said:
I just asked one of our local DPEs and he said that he most certainly wouldn't like seeing it in a logbook.
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Honest question - how does it matter what he likes or not? It either logs required training and endorsements, or doesn't.

Mine is a mix of duct tape, scotch tape, stickers, white out and crayon. Surprisingly no coffee stains, there is never enough coffee around, is there.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
Honest question - how does it matter what he likes or not? It either logs required training and endorsements, or doesn't.

Mine is a mix of duct tape, scotch tape, stickers, white out and crayon. Surprisingly no coffee stains, there is never enough coffee around, is there.
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It's a good question, I'll see how it pans out when this guys student goes up for a ride with the DPE soon.

If I logged flight time like I logged coffee consumed I'd be a 787 captain by now
 
No, it is not legal. Would a stamped check be legal? No. Would it be caught by the bank? Probably not.
Stamped signatures have been getting by as long as I've been flying, just as many logbook entries are not up to legal code, and been getting passed by DPEs because they don't wanna get caught up in legalese paperwork.

But, if an insurance company can find a way out of paying up because of an "unsigned" qualification entry. they just might.
 
nosehair said:
No, it is not legal. Would a stamped check be legal? No. Would it be caught by the bank? Probably not.
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Stamped checks are perfectly fine in most jurisdictions. My company's checks aren't signed by actual people. Is finance going to sign 200,000 checks/month?

The intent to sign it is what matters, not the actual signature. It doesn't even need to be your signature - having someone that works for you sign something and initial it is also fine just about everywhere. In many law offices, the secretaries sign more documents than the lawyers do (at the lawyer's direction).
 
Practical question: why?

I purchased a signature stamp back when I started as a CFI. It took much longer to get the stamp placed just so in the comments box that I found it so much easier and faster to do it by hand.

For general information, in most cases, signatures are simply defined as a device adopted by a person to serve as an authentication that a record was being created by him or her (or it, for that matter).
 
Oh, ok,...I was just passing on what the local FSDO told me, and it wasn't a logbook, it was the back of the 8710. And I know better than to take a local FSDOs word as "nationally legal", but in this case, I treat it the same.
I am aware of the over-all general acceptability of the stamped sig, but be aware that the FAA is it's own interpreter, and unless there is an FAA Legal interp, the locals will rule.

And anyway, I do see a strict physical interp of 61.189(a) "a flight instructor must sign...", sounds like a physical requirement to sign...

Only thing that will trump that is an FAA Legal specifically ok'ing a stamp.
 
nosehair said:
but be aware that the FAA is it's own interpreter
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Why do people continually think the FAA acts any different than any other federal (or for that matter state or local) agency. Mayors tear up runways without authority. Police officers and cities violate people's legal rights (even "Supreme Law of the Land Constitutional ones). City Boards of health act improperly. Federal regulators of all types create personal interpretations and force them. They all make up their own rules unless "informed" otherwise.

The question "what is proper" is often different than "what does Roger Regulator think is proper."

Can't disagree with you though - if you know a FSDO insists on a handwitten signature (no,
"must sign" does not automatically tell us what form the signature must take) the path of least resistance suggests you do exactly that.
 
nosehair said:
Oh, ok,...I was just passing on what the local FSDO told me, and it wasn't a logbook, it was the back of the 8710. And I know better than to take a local FSDOs word as "nationally legal", but in this case, I treat it the same.
I am aware of the over-all general acceptability of the stamped sig, but be aware that the FAA is it's own interpreter, and unless there is an FAA Legal interp, the locals will rule.

And anyway, I do see a strict physical interp of 61.189(a) "a flight instructor must sign...", sounds like a physical requirement to sign...

Only thing that will trump that is an FAA Legal specifically ok'ing a stamp.
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How do you physically sign an 8710 on IACRA?
 
Autothrust Blue said:
Be careful what you wish for when it comes to bugging them for interpretations too - you might probably will get one you don't like.
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I could care less about this one. I know they've put out plenty that management doesn't like. I'm not in management though.
 
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