Electronic Logbook/website/app

[Pete D]

I'm looking at perhaps going to an electronic means of initially logging my flights. My current system is to make notes on the note pad and/or take a photo of the "flights" page in the GPS and then transfer it to my hard copy logbook when I have time every week or two. Ideally what I'd like is an easy to use Android app that is paired with a web page that I can input the flight data into right at the plane when I get done. I still plan to keep the hard copy as a back up but it would be nice to have an electronic copy that I can do searches in to look up different things.

The features I am thinking I want are:

• easy, one page entry
• all the usual boxes (total flight time, landings, airport ids, airplane info, high perf/tailwheel etc)
• Be able to use some time of search function to look up for example if I've ever flown a specific airplane, or look up how many hours in a specific model are logged
• backed up off the phone device-dropbox or online etc
• It would be really nice if it didn't have to have data to function. IE, input a flight without having data and it syncs up later when you do have data.

There are probably other features that would be nice I'm not thinking of.

My question is, any recommendations There are a lot of apps that claim to do this, I was wondering if anyone had any experience with any of them?

[kiwibob]

My question is, any recommendations?

As you say lots of options but I've settled on Spidertracks which ticks only a few of your boxes but also provides an emergency call out if the unthinkable happens. It is however totally automatic except for the writing it up in your logbook.
spidertracks (1).jpgSpidertracks.jpg

[stewartb]

My Spidertracks service (S2 Spider w/ Fleetpro account) allows me to review my last 50 flights. It's hard wired to the main bus so a flight leg is determined by main bus on and lasts until the main goes off. I can review each individual flight segment using 2 minute interval reports for time, date, position, altitude, heading, and ground speed while the flight track is overlayed on a topo or satellite map. Pretty handy.

[Pete D]

I've seen the Spidertracks device. It looks kind of neat. We had one here for evaluation for a little while. Very very expensive.

I rarely do more than one or two flights back to back in the same airplane. I have a Spot that I use for flying, cycling, hiking etc. Maybe not quite as sophisticated but more versatile and portable. (no on board power required)

Most of the planes I fly have a GPS that logs the flight time but I have to remember to look it up when I get done to note it.

[randylervold]

I have used Logbook Pro for years... http://www.nc-software.com/

Though I use it on my computer exclusively they do have both Android and iPhone apps. Stop by my office some time and I'll show you if you're interested.
(Pete and I both work at CC)

[Charles]

Pete, I'll tell you what I do and maybe it will get you thinking about some options. I've always used Excel for my electronic flight log. I tailor the spreadsheet the way I like it (and of course you can search it, sort it, etc.). And I have tabs in the same Excel file for aircraft maintenance; for currency; and lots of other things. The Excel file is kept in a Dropbox folder so I can access it from any of my computers. Next, there is a very nice app called CloudOn that lets you run Excel (or any Office file) on your tablet from a DropBox folder. CloudOn itself is a Cloud app so you need network connection to use it, but it is by far the easiest to use spreadsheet app for a tablet. Finally, I cheat - when I have time at home I print out the last sheet of the flight log, fold it and put it in the 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 seven ring binder that I carry for notes and checklists and a chart or two. This way if I don't have a network connection I jot down the flight information on the paper sheet and enter it later. This approach meets my needs very well.

[Pete D]

Charles, that sounds like a neat system. I already use DropBox for a lot of things. I will play with that a little.

Randy, I'll do that next week when you are back from SNF and look the ap over. That sounds like it's along the lines of what I'm looking for.

[twoeleven]

At the recommendation of a fellow student, I downloaded CloudAhoy to my iPhone prior to my initial flight. I started the app, stuck the iphone in my kneeboard pocket, then started the plane. 35 days free trial, I have no affiliation with them, but I am impressed.

First page is a digital logbook entry, with date/time/Aircraft N and Type/Pilot and co-,from and to by airport code/time aloft:



The magic was in the "debrief" button, must open in "Firefox" and must have "Google Earth" installed:



I have three windows open to show a few views all in one pic, all three views are synced, we are on final for 24 at KCCB:

-Center window on top is "3D Cockpit". With amazing detail I can replay my flight up to 10x speed, or advance 1 second at a time, look around, zoom, or just watch the playback like a flight sim. AMAZING!

-Next window is "3D Track" which creates a 3D roller coaster you can spin around and view from any angle, the blue track shows altitude visually as the flight plays back. The plane is the yellow dot about to land

-Background window is a top-down track, we are the yellow airplane. This can be overlayed onto Satelite where I have it, Topo map, VFR Sectional, etc, and you can add or subtract details you want like wind vectors, roads, etc.

Meanwhile, flight telemetry plays in lower right, I can import a GoPro video into a new window if needed. Playback and frame speed options are on the bottom ribbon, and left panel offers Flight Profiles, Flight Segments with airport codes, and can even recognize maneuvers like 360 turns and highlight them in yellow.

Totally intuitive, open the App and hit hit "Start" before you roll out, "Stop" when you shut off. Go to your laptop, log in to the site http://cloudahoy.com/, and view the logbook and telemetry options.

Subscription looks like $45/year, but free for 35 days is going to get me hooked.

Larry.