Digital logbooks on the rise
The classic handwritten logbook is increasingly becoming a thing of the past for many pilots. Navigation apps are taking over more and more tasks that used to be done manually. ForeFlight is one of the most widely used applications in general aviation. In addition to route planning, weather integration and performance calculations, the app has been offering an automatically managed digital flight logbook for years.
Until now, these functions were primarily geared towards the North American market. With the current expansion of the flight log function, ForeFlight is now responding specifically to the needs of European pilots and the regulatory requirements of EASA.
EASA-compliant data fields according to FCL.050
The core of the innovation is the complete mapping of the content required in FCL.050 for flight logbooks. After selecting the European region, ForeFlight automatically adapts the available data fields. Among other things, information on take-off and landing locations, flight times, aircraft category, type of flight and the relevant time portions for different licence and authorisation types are recorded.
Particular attention is paid to the correct differentiation of flight times. ForeFlight now evaluates these in such a way that they comply with EASA requirements, for example with regard to total flight times, PIC times or certain minimum hours for obtaining and extending class and type ratings.
Automatic entries with manual control
As before, ForeFlight automatically creates a draft flight log entry after each flight. This is based on the recorded position data, the take-off and landing times and other information recorded during the flight. The pilot then checks these entries and actively approves them.
After confirmation, the flights appear in a clear list that can be filtered and analysed according to various criteria. This makes it easy to monitor important threshold values, such as for passenger boarding or currency requirements, without the need for external tables or additional software.
Extended documentation and evaluation
In addition to the purely mandatory information, the digital flight logbook offers additional documentation functions. The actual route flown, which is automatically recorded by ForeFlight, can be added to each entry. Photos of the flight or special events can also be added.
In addition, relevant personal deadlines such as medical validities or other evidence can be stored in ForeFlight. The app can therefore not only be used as a flight logbook, but also as a central personal cockpit for licence-relevant information.
Synchronisation and device independence
All flight log data is synchronised via the ForeFlight cloud. This means that they are not only available on the tablet primarily used, but also in the web interface or on other mobile devices. This is a practical advantage, especially for pilots who use several devices or want to analyse their flight times regularly.
Centralised storage also offers additional protection against data loss, for example due to device failures or software problems on an individual end device.
Legal categorisation in Europe
From a regulatory perspective, the use of a digital flight logbook is permitted. Both the EASA and national authorities, including the German aviation authorities, generally recognise digital flight logbooks as long as the prescribed content is fully and comprehensibly documented. ForeFlight fulfils these requirements with the EASA-compliant data fields that have now been implemented.
For many European pilots, this represents an important step towards the complete digitalisation of personal flight management without having to compromise on legal certainty.
Significance for flight operations
The customisation of the ForeFlight logbook underlines a general trend in general aviation: away from paper-based processes and towards integrated digital solutions. Especially in the case of frequent flights, multiple authorisations or more complex flight profiles, such a system can significantly reduce the administrative effort and improve the overview at the same time.
With the EASA-compliant extension, ForeFlight positions itself even more strongly as a complete solution for European private and commercial pilots and closes a gap that many users previously had to close with separate applications or manual rework.
Source references:
Aerotelegraph
