Logging Sim Time

Mark Kolber

Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 08:50 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Since 2018, the FAA has expanded the use of approved training devices (FFS, FTD, ATD) for maintaining instrument currency, allowing rated pilots to log required tasks without an instructor.
Logging device time for instrument currency requires specific entries (date, device description, time, and tasks accomplished) and careful differentiation from actual "flight time" or aircraft-specific categories to avoid bookkeeping errors.
To ensure valid logging, pilots must confirm the training device's FAA approval (e.g., via its Letter of Authorization) and explicitly record the completion of instrument approaches, holding procedures, and course tracking in the remarks section.

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Back in 2018, the FAA expanded our ability to use training devices to maintain instrument currency. Incomprehensible distinctions between aircraft and various types of simulators were removed. Rated pilots may log currency tasks without an instructor. An increased market for training devices and their increased use—often by pilots who logged little or no device time in the past—was predictable and beneficial. Let’s walk through a simulator exercise for currency and see how we might log it.

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