Logbook Pro Flight Logbook

Handy App!!!

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I went with this app because it can be accessed by both Mac and PC. It sometimes takes several attempts and multiple times logging in/out to get it to sync tho. And good luck getting ahold of support. There is no phone number and responses to “tickets”/ emails take quite a while.

Sadly this software developer refuses to develop a desktop version for Mac, despite many requests on their forums. Suggesting someone partition their hard drive to install a bootable version of Windows solely to run this app is ridiculous. It’s 2024, and there is no reason not to support Mac fully. Mac users should look elsewhere for electronic logbook options. Update: 2 hrs after posting this, I received notice that my supposed lifetime subscription was expiring. If this is how you treat your long-time (in my case since 2008) customers, Good riddance.

I’ve been using Logbook Pro since shortly after beginning to fly. I went back and entered all my paper logbook entries in so I’m fully electronic. It’s great for those annual insurance requirements requests, especially when you are flying lots of different types of aircraft. Float planes, high performance, helicopters, tailwheel, complex, turbine, etc. It is a-lot easier to get all these subtotals.

Log is easy to use and navigate around for basic function of logging. Beyond that, things get more complicated. Latest version broke auto night time logging. I fly international long haul. All previous versions, upon entering date and all OOOI times was capable of accurately auto filling night time. Latest revision does not calculate that now. I fly augmented and double augmented crew complement. The app will auto assign landing if one is not entered. Software is assuming that if you log time you land the jet. Not in international long haul ops. While the app itself is friendly and acceptable, it’s desktop partner is atrociously old excel based interface, overly complicated user interface with excessive variety of icons that achieve the same handful of functions. Awful. Spend some time and money and bring the desktop app to 2023.

I’ve been a loyal customer for over a decade and I like what Logbook Pro does but they have so much more potential! Access to my entire logbook on my iPad would be amazing. I mean who doesn’t want to have the answer at your fingertips to brag to your friends on what day you flew a Ford Quantum motor for the prince of Greenland during the best Northern Lights show of the century. Also the ability to save templates for my frequent PHFs for a number of different companies that all want different data. Yes I can use the analyzer but it gets ridiculous having to change all of the nuanced time in type. I mean who needs moonless night time in a one wheeled auto gyro during an engine failure, solo, part 135 🤦‍♂️. But if I had a template it would be one time to set it up and it would be open the report for acme airlines company and I’m done. Please add these features NC-Software!!! I know it is possible and probably wouldn’t be to hard to add, there are others that do.

Been a NC software customer since the Palm PDA days in monochrome, then the windows mobile version on the palm cellphone, and now over 20 years later on the iPhone. The program has been a stable leader in the industry. Flawless cloud backup and integration with the desktop version (yes, I’m in the old grandfathered original desktop version). I was a beta tester on the APDL software startup and highly recommend that for scheduled 121 pilots. I used it extensively for many years. It is more expensive but worth every penny. Now I’m at a 121 non-scheduled so the whole trip importing and flight time duty time monitoring isn’t as critical. So I just use the iOS LogBookPro alone these days. For new aspiring airline pilots you simply can not best LogBookPro for career advancement. An example was the company modifying their software to specifically create the flight time grid in the exact format used by the AirlineApps website that so many airlines all use. The dreaded Flight Time Grid can be very time consuming, but not with LogBookPro. It’s a one click report in the exact format needed. It’s that kind of responsive flexibility you don’t get with other companies. The one feature I’ve always missed that almost all other logbook programs now have is the mapping. The ability to see a map with all the legs flown by day, week, month and year. A spot to enter total passengers on each leg that keeps a running total would be nice too. I’ve been flying since 1983, have owned my own planes, operated a flight school, and been an Airline pilot and Captain for many years. LogBookPro has been there with me for the last 20+ years. Others have come and gone while LBP just kept tight on going, improving, and being well…. Dependable.

After over a decade of use, this will be the last year I use logbook pro. For ages, the lack of Mac compatibility was fine, since they were not that common, and the desktop user interface was great, back when it was rolled out. However, there in lies the problem, the desktop UI hasn’t been updated in ages and it’s required for any database updates to show on your mobile app. Also, the extra money and steps to run this outdated program on a Mac is getting overbearing for anyone who isn’t a computer engineer on the side. Running a Windows emulator is constant problems, and who has the time to be tinkering with this. I figured by now, a native Mac interface would be rolled out, but it appears the windows software is completely forgotten, so forget about a Mac app. In the end, sadly, logbook pro has not kept up with the times. I tried to hang on, but my time is to precious.

After installing on my iPad, I have to install the desktop version on my laptop. Next I paid for the desktop version. Well I have a Mac, so I will now need to get a PC emulator and install Windows. What a Mickey Mouse company to not support Mac’s and to not let the App run buy itself on a tablet.