Automatic time calculations when logging flights (macOS)
When you add or modify a flight or import flights from a CSV file Pilot Logbook can automatically calculate times to simplify the input process. You can overwrite any automatically calculated values.
Set time preferences
Set your time preferences so that Pilot Logbook automatically calculates times to your specification.
- In the Pilot Logbook app choose Pilot Logbook > Settings… Click Times at the top of the window to show the settings.
- Select which times you want Pilot Logbook to automatically calculate.
- Automatically calculate times: When selected ON Pilot Logbook will default to automatically calculating times when manually adding flights. If selected to OFF you will need to input all flight times yourself.
This can be overidden on a per flight basis when you add or modify a flight. - Log times as IFR: Pilot Logbook will automatically calculate all time for every flight as IFR time. This applies to both manually added flights and flights imported from CSV.
An IFR time column in your CSV file overules this setting. - Log times as Cross-Country: Pilot Logbook will automatically calculate all time for every flight as cross-country time. This applies to both manually added flights and flights imported from CSV.
A cross-country time column in your CSV file overules this setting.
- Automatically calculate times: When selected ON Pilot Logbook will default to automatically calculating times when manually adding flights. If selected to OFF you will need to input all flight times yourself.
- Select how to automatically calculate function times based on whether you log yourself as Pilot 1 or Pilot 2.
- Pilot 2 Function: Select the default function time (none, co-pilot, PICUS, dual or SPIC) to calculate when you log yourself as Pilot 2.
Pilot 1 automatically defaults to the pilot-in-command. - PICUS as PF: If you have selected co-pilot or dual for the default Pilot 2 Function time then you can specify if you want this to default to PICUS instead if you operated the sector as pilot flying.
- Pilot 2 Function: Select the default function time (none, co-pilot, PICUS, dual or SPIC) to calculate when you log yourself as Pilot 2.
- Specify your flight time limitations for the last 28 days, 12 months and the current calendar year.
- Modify night time calculation assumptions if required.
- Taxi Out/Taxi In Minutes: Enter the average time (in minutes) for your flights between departure and take-off and between landing and arrival for the most accurate night time calculation.
- Twilight Minutes: Alter the time (in minutes) after sunset and before sunrise that you would like to start logging night time.
When times are automatically calculated
When manually adding or modifying a flight, times are automatically calculated, and recalculated, when the Autofill checkbox is selected ON (selected ON by default if Automatically calculate times is selected in General Preferences) and the following form values are added or changed:
- Departure date and time.
- Arrival time.
- Aircraft.
- Departure and arrival airports.
- Pilot 1 and Pilot 2.
- PF checkbox.
It is therefore recommended that if you overwrite any of the automatically calculated times with your own value that you deselect the Autofill checkbox to prevent Pilot Logbook changing that value.
How times are automatically calculated
When manually adding or modifying a flight, the following times are automatically calculated based on the flight data and your calculation preferences.
Apart from Total time, all are automatically set to zero when a simulator is entered rather than an aircraft.
When importing flights from a CSV file times are automatically calculated in a similar way. The assumptions specified below will be overidden by specifying a column in your CSV file.
- Total time. The total duration between the entered departure and arrival time.
- PIC function time. The Total flight time when you have logged yourself as Pilot 1.
- PICUS function time. The Total flight time when you have logged yourself as Pilot 2 and either:
- Pilot 2 Function is set to PICUS in your Time Preferences, or
- The PF checkbox is selected and PICUS as PF is selected in your Time Preferences.
- SPIC function time. The Total flight time when you have logged yourself as Pilot 2, Pilot 2 Function is set to SPIC in your Time Preferences and PICUS function time is zero.
- Co-Pilot function time. The Total flight time when you have logged yourself as Pilot 2, Pilot 2 Function is set to Co-Pilot in your Time Preferences and PICUS function time is zero.
- Dual function time. The Total flight time when you have logged yourself as Pilot 2, Pilot 2 Function is set to Dual in your Time Preferences and PICUS function time is zero.
- IFR time. The Total flight time when Log times as IFR is selected in your Time Preferences.
- Cross Country time. The Total flight time when Log times as Cross-country is selected in your Time Preferences.
- Night time. The total amount of night time for the flight based upon:
- Date,
- departure and take-off time (Departure time + Taxi Out Minutes) in UTC,
- arrival and landing time (Arrival time – Taxi In Minutes) in UTC,
- a great circle track between the latitude and longitude of the departure and arrival airports, and
- Twilight Minutes.
- Take-off/landing day/night values. If the PF checkbox is selected then values will default to 1 take-off and 1 landing. Day/night will be in accordance with the night time calculation.
Pilot Logbook 