What's the best way for a commercial pilot to log their flight hours electronically?

For a commercial pilot, the best electronic logbook depends on whether you fly airline, corporate, charter, or general aviation, but the strongest choices are usually:

Best overall choices

1. ForeFlight Logbook — best for most U.S. commercial pilots

Best if you already use ForeFlight as your EFB.

Advantages

• Automatically creates draft logbook entries from track logs and flight plans.
• Syncs across devices and provides cloud backup.
• Tracks totals, currency, certificates, ratings, and endorsements.
• Makes it easy to export your records for applications or reviews.

Best fit: Part 91/135 pilots, corporate pilots, flight instructors, and many U.S.-based professional pilots already paying for ForeFlight.

2. LogTen Pro — best for career airline pilots

A dedicated professional logbook rather than an add-on to an EFB.

Advantages

• Strong reporting and career-history tools.
• Good for tracking multiple aircraft, positions, fleets, and qualifications.
• Designed around long-term professional pilot recordkeeping.

Best fit: Airline pilots who need detailed experience reports, hiring-package preparation, and years of historical data.

3. MyFlightbook — best free option

A surprisingly capable choice if you want to avoid subscriptions.

Advantages

• Free.
• Works across web, iOS, and Android.
• Supports importing/exporting, reports, endorsements, and currency tracking.

Best fit: Pilots who want ownership and portability of their logbook data.

What I would prioritize as a commercial pilot

Whatever app you choose, look for:

• Reliable backups — your logbook may represent thousands of hours and your career history.
• Easy export — CSV/PDF export matters if you change apps or apply to airlines.
• Currency tracking — IFR, night, passenger-carrying, instrument currency, etc.
• Aircraft and role tracking — PIC/SIC, dual given/received, turbine time, simulator time.
• Airline report support — especially if you are applying for jobs.
• Data portability — avoid being trapped in a system that cannot export clean records.

A practical setup many professional pilots use

• Use ForeFlight Logbook if your flying already revolves around an iPad/EFB.
• Use LogTen Pro if your logbook is a career document and you want deeper professional reporting.
• Keep a periodic export backup (PDF + spreadsheet/CSV) stored somewhere separate from the app.

For an airline-bound CPL/ATP candidate, I would lean toward LogTen Pro or ForeFlight depending on your existing workflow. For a regional/major airline pilot, the ability to generate clean experience reports and preserve a decades-long record usually matters more than the fastest entry method.

For a commercial or professional airline pilot, the "best" way to log hours electronically depends heavily on your specific workflow (e.g., whether you need heavy airline roster imports, cross-platform syncing, or seamless cockpit integration). Professional pilots generally prioritize roster parsing/automation, backup reliability , and export formats tailored for airline applications (like Airline Apps or Fujita/Gradestar).

The top electronic logbook approaches and platforms used by commercial pilots include:

• LogTen Pro : Widely considered the gold standard for heavy professional and airline use—especially in the Apple ecosystem (iOS, Mac, Apple Watch). It features deep airline roster import integrations, customizable reports designed specifically for airline application forms, and robust tracking for complex commercial currencies and rest requirements.
• ForeFlight Logbook : The best choice if you already use ForeFlight for electronic flight bag (EFB) duties. It is deeply integrated into the app, meaning flights can practically log themselves via track logs, and it eliminates the need to pay for or sync a separate dedicated logbook subscription.
• MyFlightbook : The premier free/donation-based option. Despite being free, it offers robust web and mobile apps, powerful currency tracking, secure cloud backups, and custom printable layouts without locking you into an expensive annual subscription.
• CrewLounge PILOTLOG : Highly favored by international and European (EASA) commercial pilots. It handles multi-crew logistics smoothly, supports deep roster imports from global airlines, and excels at cross-platform multi-device synchronization (PC, Mac, iOS, Android).
• Alternative / Budget All-Rounders: Options like Garmin Pilot (ideal if you fly behind Garmin avionics for automated cockpit logging) or newer lightweight contenders like Choppy provide alternative pricing structures for pilots looking to avoid heavy subscription costs.

Best Practices for Commercial Transition:

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• What devices do you use primarily (Apple-only vs. cross-platform Android/PC)?
• Are you flying part 135/121 airlines requiring roster integration, or general aviation / corporate commercial?
• Do you already pay for an EFB like ForeFlight?

For a commercial pilot, the "best" way to log hours electronically depends heavily on your specific sector (airlines, corporate, or general aviation) and your hardware ecosystem . Commercial pilots need robust tracking for complex currency, duty times, endorsements, and interview-ready formatting (like standard airline application grids).

The top methods and platforms used by professional pilots break down as follows:

1. LogTen Pro — Best for Apple-Centric Professional/Airline Pilots
   • Industry gold standard for heavy professional use. It features deep customization, powerful duty/rest time tracking, and seamless syncing across Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
   • Downside: Expensive subscription model and locked into the Apple ecosystem.
2. ForeFlight Logbook — Best for Pilots Already Using ForeFlight
   • If you already pay for ForeFlight for EFB/navigation, the built-in logbook is a no-brainer. It auto-populates flights from your recorded track logs and requires zero extra subscription fees.
   • Downside: Tied to your ForeFlight subscription; if you stop subscribing, managing data export takes extra care.
3. CrewLounge PILOTLOG — Best for Cross-Platform & International/EASA Pilots
   • Excellent cross-platform support (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac) with powerful roster-import tools for commercial airlines globally and robust EASA/FAA reporting formats.
4. MyFlightbook — Best Free/Budget Option
   • Completely free, web-first with great mobile apps. It is surprisingly feature-dense, tracking currency, endorsements, and signatures reliably without a paywall.

Key Best Practices for Commercial Electronic Logging:

• Roster Imports: Look for software that easily ingests airline/corporate scheduling data (e.g., CrewPass, FLICA, or ICrew) so you aren't typing in leg-by-leg data manually.
• Cloud Backup & Exports: Ensure the platform allows frequent, automatic cloud backups and exports to standard formats (Excel/CSV or PDF copies structured in traditional logbook layouts) in case you ever need to migrate or print for an interview.
• The Hybrid Rule: Many commercial pilots still keep a condensed paper logbook updated monthly or yearly for major milestones/signatures, just to have a physical failsafe, though legally an electronic logbook backed by an FAA-compliant digital signature is entirely sufficient.

To help narrow down the ideal fit for you, tell me:

• What platform/devices do you use primarily (iOS, Android, PC, Mac)?
• Are you flying airlines, corporate, or instructing , and do you already use an EFB like ForeFlight?

If you’re a commercial/ATP pilot in the U.S., I’d strongly recommend using a dedicated electronic logbook rather than a spreadsheet. The key is not just convenience—it’s preserving an accurate, auditable record that you can use for FAA applications, airline applications, currency, and future logbook migrations.

The FAA’s current guidance, AC 120-78B, specifically addresses electronic recordkeeping and says electronic records should provide equivalent or better integrity, accuracy, and accessibility than paper records.

My recommendation

1. ForeFlight Logbook — best if you already use ForeFlight

For most U.S. professional pilots, this would be my first choice.

Advantages include:

• Automatic creation of draft logbook entries from Track Logs.
• Cloud synchronization between iPhone/iPad and the web.
• Easy import of an existing logbook.
• Detailed aircraft, crew, flight-time, and currency tracking.
• 8710-style reports and flight-experience reports useful for applications.
• Full logbook export, so you're not locked into the system.
• Automatic cloud backups.
• Custom fields for things particularly useful to professional pilots.
• Electronic endorsements/signatures where applicable.

The biggest advantage is integration: if you're already using ForeFlight for flight planning and EFB duties, much of the information you need for the logbook is already there.

2. LogTen Pro — excellent for an airline/professional pilot on Apple devices

LogTen Pro is worth considering if your priority is a dedicated professional logbook rather than integration with an EFB. Current comparisons particularly favor it for Apple-using professional and airline pilots.

I'd lean toward LogTen Pro if you want a very detailed career logbook and don't particularly care about having your logbook integrated into ForeFlight.

3. MyFlightbook — best free option

If you don't want another subscription, MyFlightbook is surprisingly capable. It offers web, iOS, and Android access and supports extensive logging and reporting.

For a professional pilot, though, I'd put ForeFlight or LogTen Pro ahead of it if the cost is acceptable.

How I'd set it up professionally

Don't just enter a single "total hours" figure after each flight. Maintain the underlying records.

For every flight, record at minimum:

• Date
• Aircraft make/model and registration
• Departure and arrival
• Total flight time
• PIC/SIC time as applicable
• Night
• Instrument
• Cross-country
• Day
• Approaches, when relevant
• Landings
• Simulator/training time
• Crew members when useful
• Notes/remarks
• Any required endorsements or signatures

The FAA's electronic-recordkeeping guidance specifically identifies items such as the event, date/time, people involved, aircraft type and registration, and required authentication as components of a complete electronic record.

The most important habit: maintain independent backups

Even with cloud storage, don't let your logbook exist in only one place.

I'd set up:

1. Your primary electronic logbook.
2. Automatic cloud synchronization.
3. A recurring PDF export.
4. A recurring CSV/data export.
5. An occasional offline backup stored somewhere independent.

ForeFlight, for example, supports full exports and automatic periodic PDF/CSV exports.

That matters enormously when you've accumulated several thousand hours. Your logbook is effectively a career record, so I'd treat it more like financial records than like an ordinary app.

Bottom line

Already use ForeFlight → ForeFlight Logbook.

Apple-based professional/airline pilot who wants a dedicated logbook → LogTen Pro.

Want a capable free/cross-platform solution → MyFlightbook.

And whichever you choose, export and back up your complete logbook regularly. That's the part I'd consider non-negotiable for a commercial pilot.

For a U.S. commercial pilot, the best approach is to use a dedicated electronic logbook rather than a spreadsheet, and make the logbook your authoritative career record.

My recommendation

1. If you already use ForeFlight → use ForeFlight Logbook.
It integrates with the EFB, syncs across devices and the web, supports electronic endorsements, currency tracking, custom fields, and full logbook export.

2. If you're an airline/corporate pilot who wants a dedicated career logbook → evaluate LogTen.
It's particularly strong for detailed professional logging, career reports, roster imports, and Apple-device workflows.

3. If you want free and platform-independent → MyFlightbook is worth considering.
It supports web, iOS, and Android, with extensive import/export capabilities and airline-oriented scheduling imports.

The important part isn't just the app

For a commercial pilot, I'd prioritize these capabilities:

• Accurate FAA-style fields: date, aircraft type/registration, route, PIC/SIC, total time, day/night, cross-country, instrument, approaches, etc.
• Automatic totals and currency calculations
• Roster/schedule importing so you're not manually entering every airline leg
• Good reporting/export, especially for airline applications and FAA Form 8710 information
• Reliable backups and synchronization
• Ability to export your entire database in case you change software
• Electronic signatures/endorsements where applicable
• An audit trail/data-integrity approach rather than allowing silent alteration of historical records

The FAA's current guidance, AC 120-78B, specifically addresses electronic recordkeeping. It says an electronic record should provide equivalent or better data integrity, accuracy, and accessibility than paper, and identifies items such as the event, date/time, location, people involved, aircraft type/registration when required, and authentication where required.

A good professional workflow

I'd do this:

Flight → enter/import it promptly → review the numbers → save → maintain cloud backup → periodically export an archive.

For airline flying, roster import is a major productivity advantage. You should still verify the automatically generated entry against your actual flight times rather than blindly accepting it.

And I would not make a spreadsheet your primary logbook. It's useful as a secondary backup/analysis tool, but a purpose-built aviation logbook gives you much better handling of aircraft, roles, instrument approaches, currencies, reports, and migration.

Bottom line: If you're a U.S. professional pilot already living in ForeFlight, I'd choose ForeFlight Logbook. If you want a dedicated, career-focused logbook and use Apple devices, LogTen is probably the first alternative I'd investigate. If cost/platform flexibility is paramount, MyFlightbook is the strongest free option.

If you tell me whether you're airline, corporate, charter, or flight-instruction, and whether you use iPhone/Android/Windows/Mac, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 choices for your workflow.

For a commercial pilot, the "best" way to log hours electronically depends heavily on your specific workflow (e.g., whether you fly corporate, cargo, or for a major airline with electronic roster syncing) and your device ecosystem.

Under FAA regulations (14 CFR § 61.51 ), electronic logbooks are fully acceptable as long as they contain all the required information, signatures, and endorsements.

Top solutions are categorized below by how they fit a commercial pilot’s lifestyle:

• 1. LogTen Pro — Best for Apple-User Career Pilots
  • Why it works: It’s the industry heavyweight for professional pilots. It features deep custom reporting, automatic tracking of rolling duty/rest limits (FAR 117/EASA), and roster imports for over 100 major airlines.
  • Drawback: Apple-only (iOS, Mac, Apple Watch) and operates on an annual subscription.
• 1. ForeFlight Logbook — Best if you already use ForeFlight
  • Why it works: If you already pay for ForeFlight as an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), the logbook is bundled in. It can automatically log flights based on recorded GPS/track logs, manage currency, and export clean reports.
  • Drawback: Less granular custom data fields for complex airline scheduling compared to dedicated logbooks like LogTen Pro.
• 1. CrewLounge PILOTLOG or FLYLOG.io — Best for Cross-Platform & International Roster Sync
  • Why it works: Excellent if you use Android/Windows alongside iOS/Mac. They excel at ingesting complex airline crew scheduling and briefing formats (AIMS, NetLine, FLiCA) and tracking international Flight Time Limitations (FTL).
• 1. MyFlightbook — Best Free/Budget Option
  • Why it works: Completely free, web-first, with robust iOS and Android apps. It handles currency tracking, digital instructor signatures, and FAA Form 8710 totals surprisingly well without locking features behind a paywall.
  • Drawback: The user interface is less polished and modern than paid competitors.

Best Practices for Commercial Transition:

• Automate Roster/Data Imports: Don't waste time typing in multi-leg commercial blocks manually. Choose a platform that supports CSV/PDF roster or flight plan parsing.
• Maintain Portability: Ensure the platform allows you to export your data into a clean, audit-ready PDF and a raw CSV/Excel spreadsheet at any time so your data is never trapped in a proprietary ecosystem.
• Backup Strategy: Verify that the service utilizes real-time cloud synchronization. If you choose a local/desktop-only spreadsheet approach (like Excel), you assume 100% responsibility for redundant off-site backups.

To help narrow down the ideal platform for you, let me know:

• What devices do you primarily use (Apple vs. Android/PC)?
• Do you need airline roster integration or do you fly general aviation/part 135?

For a commercial or professional pilot, the "best" way to log hours electronically depends heavily on your ecosystem (Apple vs. Android/Web), whether you already use an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), and how complex your career tracking needs are (e.g., multi-crew logging, rolling duty limits, or airline schedule imports).

The top electronic logbook workflows and platforms break down by professional use-case:

• LogTen Pro: Best for Apple-native career logging. It is the long-time industry favorite for professional and airline pilots. It features deep customization, automated duty/rest limit tracking (FAR 117 / EASA), robust airline schedule/roster importing, and native apps across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Apple Watch. (Note: It is subscription-based and limited to Apple devices).
• ForeFlight Logbook: Best if you already use ForeFlight in the cockpit. If you are already paying for ForeFlight as your EFB, the built-in logbook is exceptional. It transitions recorded track-logs directly into logbook entries, handles currency, and easily exports professional reports for interviews or checkrides.
• MyFlightbook: Best free/value option. Completely free and donation-supported, it offers surprisingly deep cross-platform functionality (web, iOS, Android), automated night-time calculations, digital instructor signatures, and robust backup security without any mandatory subscription fees.
• CrewLounge PILOTLOG or FLYLOG.io: Best for multi-platform and complex international/EASA operations. These platforms specialize in seamless bulk-importing from major airline crew systems (like AIMS, FLiCA, or NetLine) and tracking complex multi-pilot time (PIC, SIC, PICUS) across global regulatory frameworks.

Key Features a Commercial Pilot Should Look For:

1. Roster / Schedule Integration: The ability to import pairings via CSV, PDF, or direct airline system integration so you aren’t manually typing every multi-leg commercial duty.
2. Multi-Crew & Duty Time Tracking: Automated splitting of PIC, SIC, and dual/mentor times, alongside tracking for cumulative limits (e.g., rolling 28-day or 365-day limits).
3. Robust Export & Audit Readiness: Clean PDF generation formatted to authority standards (FAA Form 8710 / IACRA or EASA/Jeppesen styles) for airline interviews and FAA/ICAO checks.
4. Cloud Backup & Multi-Device Sync: Ensuring your data isn't tied to a single local device or vulnerable to a lost tablet.

To help narrow down the ideal choice, let me know:

• What devices do you primarily use (iOS/Mac vs. Android/PC)?
• Do you fly Part 121/135 airlines (where roster importing is key) or general aviation/corporate time-building?
• Are you transitioning from paper and need advice on setting up initial balance-forward totals?

For a commercial/airline pilot, the best approach is to use a dedicated electronic logbook that is built around career totals, regulatory compliance, data backup, and job-application reporting, rather than simply keeping a spreadsheet.

My top choices

1. LogTen — best overall for a professional pilot

• Particularly strong for airline/Part 121 and Part 135 pilots.
• Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, with cloud synchronization.
• Supports professional reports, career totals, compliance tracking, and schedule integrations.
• It specifically markets itself for professional pilots and says it supports 121/135 time and schedule imports.
• My pick if you're an Apple user and your logbook is going to follow you throughout your career.

2. ForeFlight Logbook — best if you already use ForeFlight

• Excellent integration with your EFB.
• Track Logs and flight plans can generate draft logbook entries automatically.
• Cloud backup/synchronization and extensive reporting.
• It can produce an FAA 8710-style report and detailed experience reports useful for applications.
• The downside is that it's less compelling as a standalone professional logbook if you don't otherwise use ForeFlight.

3. MyFlightbook — best free/cross-platform option

• Free and available on web, iOS, and Android.
• Good import/export capabilities and broad regulatory support.
• Particularly attractive if you don't want your career logbook tied to an Apple ecosystem or a subscription.

How I'd set it up

Regardless of the app, I'd use this workflow:

1. Enter every flight promptly, preferably immediately after the flight or at the end of the trip.
2. Track more than just total time: PIC/SIC, day/night, instrument, actual/simulated instrument, cross-country, approaches, holds, night landings, aircraft category/class/type, and applicable duty/training information.
3. Import your airline/company schedule when possible rather than manually retyping every flight.
4. Reconcile your electronic logbook against your company records/flight releases periodically.
5. Keep your own independent backup. Don't make the cloud service your only copy—export the complete logbook periodically to PDF/CSV and keep it somewhere separate.
6. Before changing applications, export and test-import your entire logbook into the new system.
7. Preserve the original records and avoid casually deleting or overwriting historical entries. You want a defensible audit trail.

The FAA's current AC 120-78B provides guidance for electronic recordkeeping and electronic signatures. Its guidance emphasizes things like data integrity, security, accessibility, and appropriate authentication of electronic records.

If you're an airline pilot specifically

I'd narrow it to:

Apple + serious career logbook → LogTen
Already living in ForeFlight → ForeFlight Logbook
Want free/cross-platform → MyFlightbook

One important distinction: your personal pilot logbook and your employer's official flight/duty records aren't necessarily the same thing. Keep your personal logbook independently even if your airline provides an electronic crew-record system.

If you tell me whether you're Part 121, Part 135, corporate, or freelance, and whether you're on iPhone/Apple or Android/Windows, I can recommend the best setup and the exact fields I'd track for your situation.

The best way for a commercial pilot to log flight hours electronically is by using a dedicated, cloud-synced aviation logbook application like LogTen Pro or ForeFlight Logbook that can automatically import flight schedules, track currency, and output airline-ready experience reports . These platforms eliminate manual data entry errors and format totals precisely to regulatory standards (such as FAA or EASA).

Top Electronic Logbook Options

• • LogTen Pro : The industry standard for commercial and airline pilots; features advanced duty-time tracking, roster importing, and deep analytical reports tailored for major airline applications.
• • ForeFlight Logbook : Ideal if you already use ForeFlight as your Electronic Flight Bag (EFB); seamlessly logs hours straight from flight planning and generates instant experience summaries.
• • MyFlightbook : A robust, feature-rich web and mobile digital logbook that is completely free to use and easy to back up or export.
• • FLYLOG.io : A comprehensive global platform featuring an automated audit engine to catch overlapping or missing times before an official review.

Best Practices for Electronic Logging

1. Sync and back up: Ensure your chosen platform stores data in the cloud and synchronizes across all your mobile devices and computers.
2. Automate entries: Connect your airline or corporate schedule/rostering tool to auto-populate legs, significantly cutting down manual entry time.
3. Audit regularly: Periodically check custom fields (like PIC, SIC, night, or cross-country time) using the app's built-in error checker to ensure absolute consistency for future job applications or checkrides.
4. Keep an external export: Periodically export a signed, printable PDF or a raw spreadsheet backup of your entire logbook to local storage just in case.

If you tell me what type of commercial flying you do (airlines, corporate, or flight instructing) and which device ecosystem you prefer (Apple or Android), I can recommend the most efficient setup for your workflow.

For a U.S. commercial pilot, the best approach is a dedicated electronic logbook app, rather than a spreadsheet. Electronic logbooks are acceptable under FAA rules as long as the required information is properly recorded and the system preserves the integrity and accessibility of the records.

What I’d recommend

Use an aviation-specific logbook that:

• Automatically calculates totals — total time, PIC, SIC, night, actual/simulated instrument, cross-country, multi-engine, turbine, etc.
• Tracks aircraft by N-number and type, which makes your records much easier to substantiate.
• Supports electronic endorsements/signatures when needed.
• Exports your entire logbook to a common format such as PDF/CSV so you're never locked into one app.
• Has cloud synchronization and reliable backups.
• Lets you filter and generate reports for airline applications and ATP requirements.
• Keeps an audit trail/history so corrections don't simply overwrite the original record.

The FAA's current guidance emphasizes security, protection against unauthorized alteration, accessibility, and traceability for electronic records.

For a commercial/airline-track pilot

I'd maintain three layers of protection:

1. Primary: Your aviation logbook app.
2. Backup: Periodically export the complete logbook and save it to your own cloud storage.
3. Offline backup: Keep periodic PDF/CSV exports somewhere you control.

The FAA itself has recommended multiple backups for pilots moving from paper to electronic logging.

Also, don't confuse your personal electronic logbook with the FAA's Pilot Records Database (PRD). The PRD is a separate FAA system that contains records used by airlines and other covered operators; commercial and ATP pilots can access and share their records through it.

What needs to be in each entry?

Under 14 CFR 61.51, your logbook needs, among other things, the date, total flight/lesson time, departure/arrival locations, aircraft identification/type, applicable pilot-role categories, and flight conditions such as day/night and instrument time.

So my rule of thumb is:

Use a purpose-built aviation logbook, enter the flight immediately after flying, verify the totals, and maintain independent backups.

If you're choosing between specific apps such as ForeFlight, LogTen Pro, MyFlightbook, or another logbook, I can compare them specifically for a commercial/airline pilot and tell you which I'd pick.