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It has recently occurred to me that I may not be correctly documenting my takeoff and landings in my logbook. I am currently using a paper logbook (until I unfreeze my ATPL) and have been creating a duplicate spreadsheet as a backup.

However, I have recently decided to switch to a popular logbook app instead of using the spreadsheet. I set up the app with the default settings, indicating my role as a First Officer in an airline. As a pilot of Boeing 737s, I have been recording all the landings I make, whether I am the pilot flying or the pilot monitoring. My rationale is that these TOs/LDGs should be recorded within my total TOs/LDGs, as the responsibility for takeoffs and landings lies with both crew members. However, I have noticed that the logbook app only registers the takeoff or landings when I am the Pilot Flying.

I am curious to know if there are any specific EASA regulations regarding the documentation of takeoffs and landings.
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    $\begingroup$ Logging a landing when you are not sole manipulator of the controls seems highly unethical at best. $\endgroup$
    – Michael Hall
    May 23 at 14:21
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    $\begingroup$ @Michael Hall Hmm not sure if I would agree. The 737 is not designed to be flown single pilot ops. My presence in the flight deck and distinct SOPs for pilot monitoring make me an indispensable contributor to that approach/landing (and takeoff for that matter). $\endgroup$
    – tedioustortoise
    May 23 at 15:52
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    $\begingroup$ I don't disagree that you are a valuable and required member of the crew, only that "monitoring" is not flying. By definition. It wouldn't even cross my mind to log a landing when monitoring. $\endgroup$
    – Michael Hall
    May 23 at 16:29
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    $\begingroup$ Have you asked your Chief pilot or other crews how they do it? Does your company SOP address it? $\endgroup$
    – Michael Hall
    May 23 at 19:30
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    $\begingroup$ Is there any requirement to have PM'd a landing or a number of landings, in the past XX days? Can one be current to land as PF but not as PM? While I fly in FAA-land and not EASA-land, any count of landings as PM is entirely in the "useless trivia" category, and isn't tracked by our airline nor anybody else I've ever heard of. Maybe EASA differs. The paper copy is your book, track anything you want to, but claiming (intentionally or not) a PM'd landing as if you were the PF can get people in major trouble in most places. $\endgroup$
    – Ralph J ♦
    May 24 at 1:08

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See EU FCL.050.

“column 8: indicate the number of landings performed as pilot flying by day or night;”

https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/Part-FCL.pdf#page39

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Your logbook must contain enough information to determine whether you meet the relevant recency requirements of your certificate.

The wording of this is not super clear in EASA regulations. From FCL.060:

A pilot shall not operate an aircraft in commercial air transport or carrying passengers [...] as PIC or co-pilot unless he/she has carried out, in the preceding 90 days, at least 3 take- offs, approaches and landings in an aircraft of the same type or class or an FFS representing that type or class. The 3 take-offs and landings shall be performed in either multi-pilot or single-pilot operations, depending on the privileges held by the pilot.

Which leaves open the question of what counts as "carrying out" a takeoff, approach, and landing. From the night recency requirements in the following paragraph (emphasis mine):

[A pilot shall not operate] as PIC at night unless he/she [...] has carried out in the preceding 90 days at least 1 take-off, approach and landing at night as a pilot flying in an aircraft of the same type or class or an FFS representing that type or class

Night recency specifies "pilot flying." By implication "carrying out" does not imply that you are the pilot flying, and so the pilot monitoring can log the takeoffs, approaches, and landings towards their recency requirements.

Note that this is a deviation from ICAO. The relevant ICAO documentation is crystal clear that you must be the pilot flying for it to count. From Annex 6, Part I, Section 9.4.1.1:

The operator shall not assign a pilot-in-command or a co-pilot to operate at the flight controls of a type or variant of a type of aeroplane during take-off and landing unless that pilot has operated the flight controls during at least three take-offs and landings within the preceding 90 days on the same type of aeroplane or in a flight simulator approved for the purpose.

It would be a good idea to log PF and PM landings separately, since if you fly outside of EASA airspace you may be beholden to the more restrictive currency requirements of the relevant country. You need to distinguish between PF and PM for night recency anyway.

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  • $\begingroup$ I agree there is some ambiguity in what "carrying out" could mean. However, in my opinion it would be construed by EASA authorities as "manipulating" the flight controls. Physically managing the flight controls, thrust levers, steering after touchdown or during takeoff, brakes, reverse thrust are proficiency/currency based skills. Doing PNF/PM duties, important as they are, aren't a substitute for maintaining the full spectrum of landing/takeoff skills. The term "carried out" (FCL.060), I believe would ultimately be interpreted and carry the same meaning as the ICAO and U.S. language. $\endgroup$
    – RTO
    May 23 at 18:59
  • $\begingroup$ I'm with 757toga on this. Sometimes it is safe to infer that something is permitted by omission of a specific qualifying statement, but here, (especially if you throw in CFR 61.57) there are multiple references to establish the intent that the pilot flying is the only one performing the landing, and therefore should be the only one to log it. Obviously the App developers also see it that way. $\endgroup$
    – Michael Hall
    May 23 at 19:38
  • $\begingroup$ Excellent answer, I just disagree with the interpretation: "By implication "carrying out" does not imply that you are the pilot flying, and so the pilot monitoring can log the takeoffs, approaches, and landings towards their recency requirements." Odd perhaps, because I generally favor the most advantageous and liberal interpretation. I guess it stems from my personal aversion to taking credit, (or blame) for any landing when someone else had the controls. $\endgroup$
    – Michael Hall
    May 23 at 19:42
  • $\begingroup$ @757toga Interestingly, the EASA regulations require this recency to "operate" the aircraft, whether as PF or PM, whereas ICAO/FAA only requires recency to manipulate the flight controls/act as PIC. This is, in my opinion, another point in favor of the idea that PM duties count for recency, since you require the recency even to act as PM. It makes some sense- if you're going to act as PM on landing, what better way to stay proficient is there than acting as PM on some landings? $\endgroup$
    – Chris
    May 23 at 19:49
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    $\begingroup$ But in any case I agree it's not 100% clear, and any pilot would be wise to confer with their local authorities before relying on any legal interpretations they read on the internet. ;) $\endgroup$
    – Chris
    May 23 at 19:50

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