EASA Pilot Logbook Requirements: The Complete Guide

You just finished a multi-crew flight from Paris to London. You open your logbook and pause. Do you log PIC time or co-pilot time? What goes in the remarks column? Should you split night time from the total? And does EASA even let you keep this digitally?

If you’ve ever hesitated over a logbook entry, you’re not alone. EASA’s logbook requirements look straightforward on paper, but the details trip up even experienced pilots.

This guide breaks down exactly what EASA requires, what’s recommended but optional, and where most pilots get it wrong.

What FCL.050 Actually Says

The regulation itself is surprisingly short. FCL.050 (from Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Annex I) states:

“The pilot shall keep a reliable record of the details of all flights flown in a form and manner established by the competent authority.”

That’s it. One sentence. The real substance lives in AMC1 FCL.050 (Acceptable Means of Compliance), published under ED Decision 2020/005/R. This is where EASA spells out what your logbook must contain, how to record time, and what format to use.

AMC1 FCL.050 isn’t legally binding in the same way as the regulation, but it defines the standard your national authority will expect. If your logbook follows AMC1, you’re compliant. If it doesn’t, you’d better have a good reason.

The 12 Mandatory Columns

AMC1 FCL.050 defines a standard logbook format with 12 columns. Every EASA-compliant logbook, whether paper or digital, should capture these fields for each flight:

A few things that catch people off guard:

• Times must be in UTC. Not local time. AMC1 FCL.050 is explicit about this. If you’ve been logging local times, your entries are technically non-compliant.
• Landing counts are split by day and night. Not just a total number. This matters for your night currency requirements.
• Column 12 isn’t optional. The remarks column has mandatory entries for PICUS/SPIC certification, skill tests, proficiency checks, and SEP/TMG revalidation flights.

What Counts as Flight Time

EASA defines flight time differently depending on the aircraft category. This matters because it determines when your logbook timer starts and stops.

For aeroplanes, touring motor gliders, and powered-lift aircraft: flight time is recorded from the moment the aircraft first moves for the purpose of taking off until the moment it finally comes to rest at the end of the flight.

For helicopters: from when the rotor blades start turning until the helicopter comes to rest and the rotor blades are stopped.

For airships: from mast release until the airship is secured on the mast after landing.

Notice that EASA uses flight time, not block time. The clock starts when you move for takeoff, not when the doors close or the brakes release. This is different from how some airlines record block hours, and it’s a common source of confusion for pilots transitioning between operational and personal logbooks.

PIC Time: Who Can Log What

This is where most misunderstandings happen. EASA’s rules for logging PIC time are specific, and they’re not the same as the FAA’s.

You can log PIC time if:

• You are the designated PIC of the flight
• You are flying solo (including solo student flights)
• You are a flight instructor acting as FI in the aircraft
• You are an examiner acting as FE in the aircraft
• You are flying as SPIC (Student Pilot in Command) and your instructor countersigns the entry
• You are flying as PICUS (Pilot in Command Under Supervision), performing all PIC duties, with no PIC intervention needed, and the PIC countersigns

You cannot log PIC time if:

• You are the co-pilot in a multi-pilot operation (that goes in the co-pilot column)
• You are receiving dual instruction (that goes in the dual column)

The critical distinction under EASA is that pilot function times are mutually exclusive. On any given flight, your time goes in one column: PIC, co-pilot, dual, or instructor. You don’t log PIC and dual simultaneously for the same flight. This is one of the biggest differences from the FAA system, where a pilot can log PIC whenever they are the sole manipulator of the controls.

Co-Pilot Time

Under EASA, co-pilot time can only be logged when you occupy a pilot seat as co-pilot on an aircraft that requires more than one pilot. This means:

• The aircraft must be certified for multi-pilot operations, or
• The regulations under which the flight is conducted require more than one pilot

You cannot log co-pilot time on a single-pilot aircraft, even if another pilot is sitting next to you. If you’re the second pilot on a C172, that time doesn’t go in any column unless you’re receiving dual instruction.

PICUS and SPIC: The Endorsement Rules

PICUS (Pilot in Command Under Supervision) is a uniquely EASA concept. A co-pilot on a multi-pilot aircraft can log PIC time as PICUS when:

1. They perform all the duties and functions of PIC during the flight
2. The actual PIC does not need to intervene for safety
3. The method of supervision is acceptable to the competent authority

The catch: every PICUS entry must be countersigned by the PIC in the remarks column (column 12). Without that signature, the time doesn’t count as PIC.

SPIC (Student Pilot in Command) follows a similar pattern. A student pilot can log PIC time as SPIC when flying under supervision, but the instructor must countersign the entry. This is particularly relevant for integrated ATPL courses.

Both PICUS and SPIC time are entered in the PIC column, not a separate column. The distinction only appears in the remarks.

Single-Pilot vs Multi-Pilot: Why It Matters

Column 5 asks you to classify each flight as either single-pilot (SP) or multi-pilot (MP). For single-pilot operations, you further indicate single-engine (SE) or multi-engine (ME).

This isn’t just administrative. The SP/MP distinction directly affects which pilot function time you can log:

• SP operation: Only PIC, dual, or instructor time. There is no co-pilot in a single-pilot operation.
• MP operation: Time is split between PIC and co-pilot. Multi-pilot time goes in column 5 under the MP field.

A common mistake: logging co-pilot time on a single-pilot aircraft being operated with two pilots. Even if your airline operates a King Air with two pilots, if the aircraft is certified for single-pilot operations, you’re in an SP operation unless regulations specifically require two pilots.

Night Time and IFR Time

Column 9 captures operational condition time, split into night and IFR.

Night time under EASA is based on civil twilight: the period when the center of the sun is more than 6 degrees below the horizon. This is not the same as the +30/-30 rule many pilots were taught. The actual duration of twilight varies significantly by latitude and season. A flight from Helsinki in December enters night conditions much faster than the same flight in June. For a deep dive on this, see our guide on how night time is actually calculated.

IFR time is the time during which the flight is conducted under instrument flight rules. If you depart VFR, pick up an IFR clearance en route, and cancel IFR before landing, only the IFR portion goes in column 9.

Both fields are independent of pilot function. Whether you’re PIC or co-pilot, you record the same night and IFR time for that flight.

Combining Multiple Flights

EASA allows you to combine several flights into a single logbook entry under specific conditions:

• The flights must be on the same day
• You must return to the same departure point each time
• The interval between successive flights must not exceed 30 minutes

This is common for training flights, local circuits, or sightseeing operations. A morning of touch-and-goes from your home field can be one entry rather than ten.

If any of those conditions aren’t met, each flight gets its own line.

Paper vs Digital: EASA’s Position

EASA has accepted electronic logbooks since March 2020 (AMC & GM to Part-FCL Issue 1, Amendment 9). The regulation doesn’t favor one format over the other, but it does set conditions for electronic records.

A digital logbook must:

• Be readily available at the request of a competent authority
• Contain all relevant items from AMC1 FCL.050
• Be certified by the pilot (electronic signature is acceptable under eIDAS Regulation EU No 910/2014)
• Use a format acceptable to the competent authority

For paper logbooks, entries must be made in ink or indelible pencil. No pencil-and-eraser logbooks.

One important caveat: while EASA as a framework accepts digital logbooks, your national authority may have additional requirements or preferences. Most EASA member states follow the standard, but it’s worth checking with your local CAA if you’re unsure. Some examiners still ask to see a printed copy during checkrides.

For more on this topic, see our comparison of digital vs paper logbooks.

Common Mistakes Pilots Make

After working with pilots across multiple EASA member states, these are the errors we see most often:

Logging total time instead of function time

Your total flight time (column 6) and your pilot function time (column 10) are different things. Total time is the full duration of the flight. Function time is how much of that time you performed a specific role. On a 10-hour flight where you were PIC for 5 hours and co-pilot for 5, your total time is 10:00, but your PIC time is 5:00 and your co-pilot time is 5:00.

Confusing PIC with P1

In many airlines, “P1” means the pilot in the left seat or the pilot flying. Under EASA, PIC is a legal designation, not a seat assignment. The PIC is whoever was designated as PIC before the flight, regardless of who is physically flying the aircraft. You can be PIC from the right seat. You can be the pilot monitoring and still be PIC.

Not splitting multi-pilot time correctly

On a multi-pilot operation, one pilot logs PIC and the other logs co-pilot. The total flight time is the same for both, but the function time columns differ. Some pilots mistakenly log PIC time for both pilots when they alternate legs.

Missing remarks column entries

PICUS time without a PIC countersignature in column 12 is just co-pilot time. Skill tests without a remarks entry are undocumented. The remarks column is where your logbook entries become legally defensible.

Using local time instead of UTC

AMC1 FCL.050 specifies UTC for departure and arrival times. If you’re logging local time, your entries are inconsistent with the standard, which can cause confusion during audits, especially for flights crossing time zones.

A Practical Example

Here’s how a typical flight would look in an EASA-format logbook:

Scenario: You’re the PIC on a multi-engine single-pilot flight from Paris Le Bourget (LFPB) to London Biggin Hill (EGKB) on March 15, 2026. Departure at 14:30 UTC, arrival at 15:45 UTC. The last 20 minutes are in night conditions, and the approach is IFR. You fly a Beechcraft Baron 58, registration F-GXYZ.

Notice that the landing is counted as a night landing because it occurred during night conditions. The IFR time (35 minutes) covers the instrument approach segment. PIC time equals total time because you were the sole pilot.

How Your Logbook Supports Recency

Your logbook isn’t just a historical record. It’s the primary evidence for your recency requirements under FCL.060. These include:

• 90-day landing currency: 3 takeoffs and landings in the preceding 90 days in the same type or class
• Night passenger currency: 1 takeoff and landing at night in the preceding 90 days (or hold a valid IR, which exempts you from this requirement per FCL.060(b)(2)(ii))
• SEP/TMG revalidation: 12 hours in the preceding 12 months, including 6 hours PIC, 12 takeoffs and landings, and 1 hour of refresher training with an FI or CRI
• Instrument proficiency: An IPC or IR revalidation within the required period

Every one of these checks depends on accurate logbook data. Sloppy recording doesn’t just look unprofessional. It can ground you.

Key Takeaways

• FCL.050 mandates that every EASA licence holder keeps a reliable record of all flights flown
• AMC1 FCL.050 defines 12 columns that your logbook must contain, from date and departure through to remarks and endorsements
• Pilot function times are mutually exclusive under EASA: PIC, co-pilot, dual, or instructor. Not combinations.
• PICUS and SPIC time goes in the PIC column but must be countersigned in the remarks
• All times should be in UTC, and flight time is measured from first movement to final rest
• Digital logbooks are accepted since March 2020, provided they meet the format and accessibility requirements
• The remarks column has mandatory entries for skill tests, proficiency checks, and PICUS/SPIC endorsements

Keep Your Logbook Compliant Without the Guesswork

Tracking 12 columns, splitting function time, calculating night time by civil twilight, and remembering which entries need countersignatures is a lot to manage manually. It’s exactly the kind of detail that software should handle for you.

Skyden exports your logbook as EASA FCL.050-compliant PDFs, with all 12 columns formatted correctly. Night time is calculated automatically using actual solar positions along your route. Function time categories are separated cleanly. And everything syncs across your devices, so your logbook is always accessible if an authority requests it.

Your hours represent your career. The details should be right. Try Skyden free and see the difference an accurate logbook makes.