Lost Logs

[F9DXER]

This came up during a bar talk session with some pilots/flight instructors.

What if your log book got lost or stolen. Would the records that an FBO have on you provide proof of currency? You completed a BFR, hours that were rented and dates, etc. (Not the type of flying). Would you need to get a copy and carry it on you when flying?

Would those type of records be considered valid for the FAA if they asked for proof?

 

[Skåning]

Just claim to be a sovereign citizen like that Alaskan guy and go full send.

 

[inigo88]

This actually happened to me, logbooks were stolen and never recovered. It is officially covered in FAA Order 8900.1:

Lost logbooks

A lost logbook can complicate a pilot's life. But airmen can take steps to recontruct their lost logbooks.

www.aopa.org

Help! Logbook Lost/Stolen; How to Reconstruct it?

The worst has happened. I've spent two weeks going through everything and everywhere, but I'm pretty sure my flight bag was stolen out of my truck while I was at work the morning before a flight. I could spend paragraphs going over how deeply I've looked for it, called around, etc, but I think...

www.pilotsofamerica.com

Check out FAA Order 8900.1 Volume 5, Ch 1 Section 8 (Logbooks):

Dynamic Regulatory System

drs.faa.gov

Basically I had to write the FAA and retrieve my complete airman file. Compare my last 8710 form (those tables of hours become the FAA’s last official record of your hours if your logbooks are lost) and then work out the delta hours between the last 8710 record and the present.

I had an excel backup logbook and financial records / photos from flights and used those to painstakingly put the story together. Then you write up and sign a sworn statement and that becomes a permanent attachment to your new logbook, per the instructions in Order 8900.1. Oh and you have to track down the instructors that signed off any endorsements you lost, and either get those re-signed or do re-training to reacquire them.

Hope that helps. It sucks, would not recommend!

 

[drunkenbeagle]

This actually happened to me, logbooks were stolen and never recovered. It is officially covered in FAA Order 8900.1:

...

Hope that helps. It sucks, would not recommend!

This actually also happened to me. It sucks! Also, don't recommend.

Good news, I kept an electronic logbook back to the beginning of time. Bad news, is replacing endorsements. I was able to get duplicates signed for most of them. But for some, no luck - CFI isn't alive anymore, as it was many many years ago.

As for repeating training, I'm not sure how that works. Most of my time is in tailwheel aircraft. How does that work if I get a new tailwheel endorsement now? (Moot at the moment, as I'm not flying one).

 

[invadertim]

I scanned all my paper log books, 2 copies, 1 in the safe deposit box. These days I’m thinking I might upload a copy to the cloud. As far as wurk flyin; My standard answer is the company has those records, and the FAA is going to believe that over any records I keep, paper or electronic, anyhow.