Logging Military and Civilian Flight Hours: One Book or Two?

Here’s some guidance on combining the records and using appropriate notations.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

You may consider using more than one type or brand of logbook to diversify your data storage. [Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots with both military and civilian flight hours are not required to keep separate logbooks, though many opt to do so for organizational clarity or use clear notations within a single logbook.
A key difference in logging is flight time calculation: civilian hours are typically engine start to shutdown, while military hours are takeoff to touchdown, requiring conversion or explanation for civilian applications.
Regardless of the logging method, it is crucial to accurately record PIC time and any dual instruction given.

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Question: I had a civilian pilot certificate with approximately 100 hours when I entered the military as a pilot. Now I have both military hours and civilian flight hours. Do I need two logbooks, or can these hours be logged in the same place?

Answer: According to the former and current military pilots I have flown with, you do not necessarily need to keep separate logbooks for your civilian and military hours. However, many pilots do this just to avoid confusion. Separate logbooks also make it easier to break out your civilian hours versus military ones.