How to Prepare Your Pilot Logbook for a Checkride/ Skills Test

Your logbook isn’t just a personal record of your flights — it’s one of the most important documents you’ll bring to your checkride/ skills test. Examiners rely on it to confirm that you’ve met all FAA/CAA requirements, from total time to endorsements. A disorganised or incomplete logbook can lead to delays, disqualifications, or unnecessary stress.

This guide will walk you through how to prepare your pilot logbook for a checkride/ skills test — whether you’re using a paper or digital logbook like DigiPlog.

🧾 Why Your Logbook Matters

The Designated Examiner will use your logbook to verify:

• You’ve completed the required flight training
• Your flight time meets the minimums (dual, solo, cross-country, instrument time etc..)
• You have all necessary endorsements from your instructor

If any of that is missing or unclear, your checkride/ skills test may not even begin.

✍️ Common Logbook Mistakes

Before you schedule your exam, make sure you avoid these frequent issues:

• Inaccurate or inconsistent totals
• Solo flights logged as dual (or vice versa)
• No clear record of cross-country flights or instrument time
• Endorsements not clearly labeled or dated

Whether you’re using a paper logbook or a digital platform, the key is clarity and accuracy.

✔️What Endorsements You Need for Your Skills Test

For a SEP (single engine piston) skills test you typically need the following:

• Passed all theory (ground) exams – there are 9 for the UK PPL
• 45 hours of flight instruction on aeroplanes
• 25 hours (of the overall 45) of dual flight instruction
• 10 hours (of the overall 45) of supervised solo flight time, including at least 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time with at least 1 cross country flight of at least 270 km (150 NM) (QXC – qualifying cross country) that includes full stop landings at 2 aerodromes different from the departure aerodrome.

Your instructor should know what to include, but it’s up to you to ensure they’re in your logbook and easy to find.

🧾 Digital Logbooks Make It Easier

Here’s how a digital logbook can help you skills test ready:

• 🧾 Export clean reports for the examiner
• 🔍 Filter by category/class or time type
• 🖋️ Highlight endorsements clearly
• ☁️ Cloud backup in case you lose your paper copy

If you’re using a tool like DigiPlog, you can generate a printablelogbook summary with just a few clicks.

✈️ Final Thoughts

Preparing your pilot logbook for a checkride/ skills test doesn’t have to be stressful. Stay organised, double-check the details, and consider using a digital logbook to streamline the process. A clean logbook not only helps you pass your checkride/ skills test — it reflects your professionalism as a pilot.

Looking for a digital logbook that’s easy to use and made for real-world checkride prep? Try DigiPlog — free for early testers.

More information on CAA issued PPL here.