Getting current without a logbook?

[timeoff]

I have a relative who holds a commercial and an expired CFI rating. He hasn't flown since the late 70's and is looking to get current. He was a controller up until the mid 90's so he is failry current on the IFR system. The problem is he lost his logbook about a decade ago and has absolutely no way of showing prior flight time. I am getting him a couple sporty's dvds on the BFR/IPC for christmas, along witha FARAIM and an hour or two at his local FBO.

How would this BFR/IPC be handled without any record of flight time?

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Alot of the older pilots who still fly don't even log their time anymore.

It's like riding a bike, it will come back to him quickly and he won't take long to get current.

 

[paulsalem]

In order to be current you need to "log" the time somewhere.

 

[timeoff]

Wouldn't a CFI want to see some sort of documented flight time? Should a CFI have reservations about signing an empty logbook?

I guess the more I think about it, legally, you don't need to document anything since you aren't going for a rating.

 

[AC560]

Section 731

 

[time builder]

Right, you're reqired to log time for pursuing certificates and ratings, and for maintaining recency. As an instructor, I'd treat him the same as anyone else who's been gone that long, they don't get the endorsement until I feel they're up to standards.

I'd be more concerned with insurance requirements, if they require a minimum number of logged hours to act as PIC in whatever aircraft he's flying. If he's looking to get into high performance or complex aircraft, there could be a hold up.

 

[JimNtexas]

One thing your relative can do is contact the FAA and get a copy of his records. They should have a copy of his last 8710 checkride form, that will at least document his flying time to that point.

 

[minitour]

One thing your relative can do is contact the FAA and get a copy of his records. They should have a copy of his last 8710 checkride form, that will at least document his flying time to that point.

...or at least document that he had the minimum flight times at that point for that certificate or rating. Most of the people I've talked to and the DPE we routienly(sp) use comment that they see more 8710s with just the minimums filled in than actual flight times.

...It may work, but it may not.

I'd be skeptical as a CFI if someone came to me w/ no flight time, certificate, logbook, etc. and want to make sure all of my bases are covered.

-mini

 

[midlifeflyer]

I don't think it's as big a deal as some of the others.

If his pilot certificate has never been revoked or voluntarily surrendered, it's still good. The certificate status is pretty easily verifiable through the FAA database. The idea to have him get a copy of his FAA records is a good one - at least provides a baseline of some numbers and verified the existence of the certificate.

Certificate itself gone? Order a new one. In fact, do it anyway, especially if his old one used his social security number. Order up a new one and update the address information and you've killed a couple of birds with one stone.

Lost or threw out his old logbook? No big deal. He hasn't flown in a long time so currency isn't an issue. Neither are qualification for certificates or ratings - he already has them. The only real issue with the lack of a logbook is that endorsements (or evidence of flight time before the applicable dates) for things such as HP or complex aircraft would be missing and, at this point, probably irretrievable. So you do them again if he wants to - with a lot of time away from flying, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get the complex and HP instruction over anyway.

When coming back to aviation, relearning old skills and knowledge, learning new skills and knowledge, and blowing rust off are the big deals. Whether he still has some pieces of paper recording flight time that doesn't really matter that much is a non-problem.

I'd handle his FR/PC the way I'd handle it for any other pilot who'd been away from it for a while.