And how do get his endorsement when you're at that grass strip in the middle of nowhere with no cell signal or WiFi? How do you explain AC 120-78 to a skeptical DPE or FBO owner who's never heard of it before? If you demand that your CFI creates an account in your logbook software, or generates his own digital certificate, or whatever else will make your electronic life easy, he may simply refuse. However, there's also the practical question of how you collect endorsements. He or she affixed a signature to a specific record, record entry, or That's a very broad definition of an electronic signature, although it seems clear that the FAA wants it to be "individual" and non-repudiation is a requirement:Īn electronic signature should prevent a signatory from denying that Any other unique form of individual identification that can be used as a means of authenticating a record, record entry, or.Fortunately the FAA has an entire AC (AC 120-78) on electronic signatures that applies to part 61 and it says:Īn electronic signature may be in the following forms. But you might start questioning what a "signature" really is and if you can substitute something else. So it's clear that you need a "signature" from your instructor and for most people that means paper. (CGI) certificate number, and certificate expiration date, if
Legible and include the instructor's signature, date of signature,Ĭertificated flight instructor (CFI) or certificated ground instructor Requirements for pilot operating privileges. The following examples are recommended sample endorsements for use byĪuthorized instructors when endorsing logbooks for airmen applying forĪ knowledge or practical test, or when certifying accomplishment of However, I suspect that the main question you're asking is, how can I gather endorsements in an electronic logbook? AC 61-65E is essentially the FAA's practical guide to 14 CFR 61, and Appendix 1 lists recommended sample endorsements, with this comment: And clearly electronic logbooks are "legal" in the sense that there's no law against using them. Short answer: an electronic logbook is legal the FAA will accept almost anything as an endorsement it's often most practical to collect endorsements on paper but electronic versions are also fine.įirst, the fundamental point about logbook formats is that the FAA defines what you have to log ( 14 CFR 61.51), but not how you log it.