What to Do When You Lose Your Logbook
If you can’t put your hands on your logbook, here’s what the FAA will accept as proof of hours.
Hours of aeronautical experience don’t expire but they need to be properly logged. [Shutterstock]
Question: I have more than 8,900 hours logged as PIC and hold several instructor ratings. The trouble is I can't find my older logbooks. I moved and I think they are in a storage unit thousands of miles away. Will the FAA accept an 8710 form as proof of hours?
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Answer: According to an FAA spokesperson: "Generally speaking, the FAA will accept [a pilot’s] last airman certificate application (Form 8710-1) or what they reported on their last medical application (Form 8500-8)." You should have access to at least one of those documents.
Pro tip: Moving forward, you may want to invest in an electronic logbook and save the information to the cloud, or at least record a digital image of each page of the paper logbook when you fill it up. If you rent aircraft, sometimes you can re-create your experience by cross-referencing your receipts.
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Do you have a question about aviation that’s been bugging you? Ask us anything you’ve ever wanted to know about aviation. Our experts in general aviation, flight training, aircraft, avionics, and more may attempt to answer your question in a future article.
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