Practical Logging

On the heels of the controversy about logging time in a simulator, the FAA has given us an InFO that unequivocally provides clear guidance about when we can log an approach. Thats guidance that weve been lacking, so were glad to see it.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has issued new guidance clarifying requirements for logging instrument approaches, addressing previous ambiguity.
Key clarifications include requiring approaches to be taken to minimums in simulated environments and requiring Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) to continue to at least the Final Approach Fix (FAF) for approaches logged in actual IMC.
The article emphasizes that while the new guidance provides legal clarity for currency, pilots must prioritize actual proficiency, as meeting minimum legal requirements does not inherently guarantee skill.

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On the heels of the controversy about logging time in a simulator, the FAA has given us an InFO that unequivocally provides clear guidance about when we can log an approach. That’s guidance that we’ve been lacking, so we’re glad to see it.

As I was putting this issue to bed, though, I had a conversation with Belvoir Aviation’s Editorial Director, Paul Bertorelli. If you’ve read anything from Belvoir in the last few decades, you’ll recognize Paul’s name (and most likely, his influence).