Log Book Review

[J a c k]

I dug out my oldest logbook tonight--figured on transferring the
records to electronic storage--and discovered my first glider ride
from so many years ago. It happened on 22 MAR 70 in Big Spring TX, in
a 2-33 belonging to the Signal Mountain Soaring Club (N2435W, now the
registration number of a Cessna 172). Dan Riemondi (sp?) was in the
back seat as we winched into the clear blue west Texas sky.

I remember thinking at the time, "Who needs an aircraft that can only
stay up for ten minutes?" Little did I know. I logged 0.2 as an amazed
"co-pilot"--on top of the 1700 hrs I already had in USAF jets--just to
get the flight on paper for the future.

Well, the future is here, and this is one of the few flights in this,
or any of my other logbooks, of which I have any specific memory, out
of 20,000 hours of flying--and one of the very few I can specifically
remember that don't also include a notation of significant weather,
mechanical malfunction, or other event like carrying a former POTUS,
certain combat missions, etc. The date, pilot's name, and other
specifics would without any doubt have been lost to me if they weren't
right here on the page. My logbooks are the only notes I've made of my
years in the sky and, as skeletonized a record as they are, I'm very
glad now that I have them.

You fledglings might want to keep in mind that what seems mundane
today may very well brighten your days and nights in the distant
future. Fill those pages now and they will fill some of your empty
spaces later. As for me, I'm going to try and do a more thorough job
of log-writing from now on.



Jack

[jcarlyle]

Great advice, Jack. I've only got 0.01 of your experience, but already
I know that if you don't write it down it may as well never have
happened. And then there's the example of Ernie K. Gann - if I read it
correctly, he wrote "Fate is the Hunter" pretty much by reveiwing his
log books!

-John


On Aug 17, 2:03 am, J a c k > wrote:
> I dug out my oldest logbook tonight--figured on transferring the
> records to electronic storage--and discovered my first glider ride
> from so many years ago. It happened on 22 MAR 70 in Big Spring TX, in
> a 2-33 belonging to the Signal Mountain Soaring Club (N2435W, now the
> registration number of a Cessna 172). Dan Riemondi (sp?) was in the
> back seat as we winched into the clear blue west Texas sky.
>
> I remember thinking at the time, "Who needs an aircraft that can only
> stay up for ten minutes?" Little did I know. I logged 0.2 as an amazed
> "co-pilot"--on top of the 1700 hrs I already had in USAF jets--just to
> get the flight on paper for the future.
>
> Well, the future is here, and this is one of the few flights in this,
> or any of my other logbooks, of which I have any specific memory, out
> of 20,000 hours of flying--and one of the very few I can specifically
> remember that don't also include a notation of significant weather,
> mechanical malfunction, or other event like carrying a former POTUS,
> certain combat missions, etc. The date, pilot's name, and other
> specifics would without any doubt have been lost to me if they weren't
> right here on the page. My logbooks are the only notes I've made of my
> years in the sky and, as skeletonized a record as they are, I'm very
> glad now that I have them.
>
> You fledglings might want to keep in mind that what seems mundane
> today may very well brighten your days and nights in the distant
> future. Fill those pages now and they will fill some of your empty
> spaces later. As for me, I'm going to try and do a more thorough job
> of log-writing from now on.
>
> Jack

[Bert Willing[_2_]]

I don't have the same experience as Jack, but last year I decided that I
don't want to lose my logbook entries, so I started putting 26 years of
logbook entries into a relatively simple excel sheet for backup.

I initially thought about it as a tedious job to do, but it was in fact a
constant recollection of memories - not every single line, but quite a
couple of them!

And now I have my paper logs, and an electronic copy (kept up-to-date) on a
computer and on a server.

Bert
"jcarlyle" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Great advice, Jack. I've only got 0.01 of your experience, but already
> I know that if you don't write it down it may as well never have
> happened. And then there's the example of Ernie K. Gann - if I read it
> correctly, he wrote "Fate is the Hunter" pretty much by reveiwing his
> log books!
>
> -John
>
>
> On Aug 17, 2:03 am, J a c k > wrote:
>> I dug out my oldest logbook tonight--figured on transferring the
>> records to electronic storage--and discovered my first glider ride
>> from so many years ago. It happened on 22 MAR 70 in Big Spring TX, in
>> a 2-33 belonging to the Signal Mountain Soaring Club (N2435W, now the
>> registration number of a Cessna 172). Dan Riemondi (sp?) was in the
>> back seat as we winched into the clear blue west Texas sky.
>>
>> I remember thinking at the time, "Who needs an aircraft that can only
>> stay up for ten minutes?" Little did I know. I logged 0.2 as an amazed
>> "co-pilot"--on top of the 1700 hrs I already had in USAF jets--just to
>> get the flight on paper for the future.
>>
>> Well, the future is here, and this is one of the few flights in this,
>> or any of my other logbooks, of which I have any specific memory, out
>> of 20,000 hours of flying--and one of the very few I can specifically
>> remember that don't also include a notation of significant weather,
>> mechanical malfunction, or other event like carrying a former POTUS,
>> certain combat missions, etc. The date, pilot's name, and other
>> specifics would without any doubt have been lost to me if they weren't
>> right here on the page. My logbooks are the only notes I've made of my
>> years in the sky and, as skeletonized a record as they are, I'm very
>> glad now that I have them.
>>
>> You fledglings might want to keep in mind that what seems mundane
>> today may very well brighten your days and nights in the distant
>> future. Fill those pages now and they will fill some of your empty
>> spaces later. As for me, I'm going to try and do a more thorough job
>> of log-writing from now on.
>>
>> Jack
>
>

[Malcolm Austin]

Hi Jack,
when I returned to gliding in 2001 after exactly 30 years, I
looked through
my log book for some memories.

My 6th & 8th solo's were in a T21 under a huge thermal in the middle east,
and I struggled
to stay below cloud base at 7000 feet. Reading my log brought it all back.
Even the flights
that didn't go too well as my inexperienced hands wanted, came back.

I always put a comment in, unless it really was that boring or short.

Since then I have created a sophisticated Excel log sheet that does a lot of
graphing and
analysis for me automatically. It even found an error I made 30 years ago on
my flight numbers!

I only wish I had taken more pictures of all the different gliders I've
flown, (not that many types @ 10
and locations @ 8) in my 502 flights.

Your correct, it is worth the effort to make some comment on your flights.
Just a few flights require a
bit more detail (like 5 pages of A4 for my 5 hour)

cheers,
Malcolm..



"J a c k" > wrote in message
t...
>
> I dug out my oldest logbook tonight--figured on transferring the
> records to electronic storage--and discovered my first glider ride
> from so many years ago. It happened on 22 MAR 70 in Big Spring TX, in
> a 2-33 belonging to the Signal Mountain Soaring Club (N2435W, now the
> registration number of a Cessna 172). Dan Riemondi (sp?) was in the
> back seat as we winched into the clear blue west Texas sky.
>
> I remember thinking at the time, "Who needs an aircraft that can only stay
> up for ten minutes?" Little did I know. I logged 0.2 as an amazed
> "co-pilot"--on top of the 1700 hrs I already had in USAF jets--just to get
> the flight on paper for the future.
>
> Well, the future is here, and this is one of the few flights in this,
> or any of my other logbooks, of which I have any specific memory, out of
> 20,000 hours of flying--and one of the very few I can specifically
> remember that don't also include a notation of significant weather,
> mechanical malfunction, or other event like carrying a former POTUS,
> certain combat missions, etc. The date, pilot's name, and other specifics
> would without any doubt have been lost to me if they weren't right here on
> the page. My logbooks are the only notes I've made of my years in the sky
> and, as skeletonized a record as they are, I'm very glad now that I have
> them.
>
> You fledglings might want to keep in mind that what seems mundane
> today may very well brighten your days and nights in the distant
> future. Fill those pages now and they will fill some of your empty
> spaces later. As for me, I'm going to try and do a more thorough job
> of log-writing from now on.
>
>
>
> Jack

[Alistair Wright]

From: "Malcolm Austin" >
Subject: Re: Log Book Review


> Hi Jack,
> when I returned to gliding in 2001 after exactly 30 years,
> I looked through
> my log book for some memories.

I too have just returned to gliding after an almost 30 year break. How did
you find it Malcolm? I was amazed to discover that for me it was is if I had
never been away, even though I was flying an ASK21 rather than the ASK13
which I flew last in 1978. It may have been something to do with 500hrs of
simulator flying on Condor (surely the best flight sim ever) of course.

I had to hand over my log book to the course instructor at the beginning of
my week's flying. He was a bit surprised to see 500+hrs, 2100 sorties, and a
Silver C in it. I too used to write something about almost every flight.

Alistair Wright
Scottish Borders

[kirk.stant]

I've read of pilots putting photos in their logbooks - neat idea, and
with today's electronic logbooks and digital cameras, the
possibilities are enormous.

While I don't write much beyond where I went and how many miles in my
paper logbook (and don't keep a digital one), I do use my logger on
every flight and save the logs for SeeYou review. On everything but a
local flight (and even some of those, if they are eventful!), I write
down the .icg file name in my logbook so I can quickly find and replay
the flight.

Special flights (contests, badges) get their own easy-to-recognize
file names and/or folders.

And it's fun to have the flights of friends who were there too, to
replay via "maggot races".

Just another way of reliving those great (or not so great) flights...

Kirk

[Malcolm Austin]

Hi Alistair,
well the first comment has to be that I flew "BRM" on our ridge a
week ago for
30 mins (my Ka6CR in for CofA) You should recognise that as being the K7
that
came from Borders (I visited early this year to do the on-site recce')

To answer your question:- I had 172 flights over 6 months in T21, Swallow
and a K13
30 years ago, but not many hours of course (try doing 5 min circuits on a
900' launch in a 21!)

On my first flight back as expected I also showed the instructor my logbook,
and was told to
do the take off etc! It all went well, although my circuit planning was a
bit tight for the K7. Landing
also went quite well. After that it took me about 20 flights to get back
solo again, and I was far more
worried on that 2nd "first" solo that the real 1st "first" solo.

I noticed a change in attitudes at the start, but coming from a forces club
(Cyprus) I expected that
really. A lot of things I noticed were probably because of the age
difference (20 yrs old in 1971)
and now being in my 50's. The problems seem to be the same though, many
people happy to stand
and watch, few happy to get in and help to run the place. The one about
being left on the winch for 9
hours without being offered a break has left a dent in me though; didn't
happen in 1971.

As with 1971, some pilots seem to need 110% of their attention whilst other
need just 20% to fly a circuit.
I know now who to avoid, and they me :-)

The size of gliding in the UK is a worry of course. I see in other threads,
various discussions going
on about the time people have available and/or money. We are now a high tax
society, and it takes
2 working full time to have a reasonably secure future. (if we continue to
tax at 60% of peoples take
home pay that is (income tax/VAT on
goods/inheritance/council/carbon/breathing tax etc))

Costs are a factor that in 1971 didn't worry me being single (and the forces
paid 50% at the end of it
all) Now its a major factor in my flying time, plus the travelling which is
150 miles return. Again the fuel
cost cannot be missed any more.

I've flow the K21 (Port Moak, Denbigh, Challock) and found it OK, but not
exciting, which is of course
absolutely correct for an early trainer. I prefer our K7's and K13 because
I just love to spin them and they are
so forgiving. I just need to finish the Bronze with the 50k but have not
had a good opportunity for a long
time. My clubs location is great for ridge and wave but naff for thermal
unless there's a reasonable good
southerly (which then makes it difficult to penetrate in a K6)

One benefit of coming back to gliding later on is that although I like to be
adventurous in my flying, I'm
far more aware of the limits. The only thing I play with, low down, is a
side slip approach and you don't
see many of those now a days!

Sorry long waffle, just like being on a 2m repeater...

Malcolm...

"Alistair Wright" > wrote in message
...
> From: "Malcolm Austin" >
> Subject: Re: Log Book Review
>
>
>> Hi Jack,
>> when I returned to gliding in 2001 after exactly 30 years,
>> I looked through
>> my log book for some memories.
>
> I too have just returned to gliding after an almost 30 year break. How did
> you find it Malcolm? I was amazed to discover that for me it was is if I
> had
> never been away, even though I was flying an ASK21 rather than the ASK13
> which I flew last in 1978. It may have been something to do with 500hrs
> of
> simulator flying on Condor (surely the best flight sim ever) of course.
>
> I had to hand over my log book to the course instructor at the beginning
> of
> my week's flying. He was a bit surprised to see 500+hrs, 2100 sorties, and
> a
> Silver C in it. I too used to write something about almost every flight.
>
> Alistair Wright
> Scottish Borders
>
>

[J a c k]

kirk.stant wrote:

> I've read of pilots putting photos in their logbooks....

[....]

> I write down the .icg file name in my logbook so I can quickly find and replay
> the flight.


Thanks, Kirk--these will be an excellent addition to the log.


Jack

[Roger Worden]

When I started learning to soar about 4.5 years ago, I kept a journal to
capture my impressions and so I could go back to review later. Rather than
try to integrate it with my logbook, I wrote it on my computer (just a text
file edited with Notepad). Later on when blogging began to become popular
and easy, I transferred my journal to a blog because I thought other student
glider pilots might find it interesting. Some have, and have written back
with comments and questions and encouragement. And I go back to re-read the
early stuff every once in a while. So I agree with Jack who started this
thread: "what seems mundane today may very well brighten your days and
nights in the distant future".

Feel free to check it out at http://rogersoaring.blogspot.com.


"Malcolm Austin" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Jack,
> when I returned to gliding in 2001 after exactly 30 years,
> I looked through
> my log book for some memories.
>

[Martin Gregorie[_1_]]

Roger Worden wrote:
> When I started learning to soar about 4.5 years ago, I kept a journal to
> capture my impressions and so I could go back to review later. Rather than
> try to integrate it with my logbook, I wrote it on my computer (just a text
> file edited with Notepad). Later on when blogging began to become popular
> and easy, I transferred my journal to a blog because I thought other student
> glider pilots might find it interesting. Some have, and have written back
> with comments and questions and encouragement. And I go back to re-read the
> early stuff every once in a while. So I agree with Jack who started this
> thread: "what seems mundane today may very well brighten your days and
> nights in the distant future".
>
> Feel free to check it out at http://rogersoaring.blogspot.com.
>
I did much the same, by lightly editing a set e-mails I sent to the
friend who set me on the path by enabling a trial flight in an ASK-21. I
made the e-mails into a set of web pages and added the odd photo; The
results are here:

http://www.gregorie.org/gliding/learning/index.html


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[StopTheFAA.com]

You fledglings might want to keep in mind that what seems mundane
today may very well brighten your days and nights in the distant
future. Fill those pages now and they will fill some of your empty
spaces later. As for me, I'm going to try and do a more thorough job
of log-writing from now on.

Jack

There is another angle to consider, Jack. The FAA can and does make use of all that information you put in the log. It's a risk I'm not willing to take, I start a new log with each BFR, transfer the hours, and lose the old book. If you want to keep a diary that's fine as long as it is called a diary and not a logbook!

An ounce of prevention.......

Darryl