Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

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astaib
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Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by astaib »

Hello,

Do you know what is the AMM recommending for the reporting of flight time in the Aircraft log book?

Is it block off / block on
or
Airborne time?

Someone just tell me that Diamond AMM allows to report the airborn flight time, but I didn't find anything in the AMM.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Arnaud.
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by Sandy »

In the U.S., "Flight Time" (for a pilot) is a legal definition set out in 14 CFR 1.1, as follows:

Flight time means:

(1) Pilot time that commences when an aircraft moves under its own power for the purpose of flight and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after landing; or

(2) For a glider without self-launch capability, pilot time that commences when the glider is towed for the purpose of flight and ends when the glider comes to rest after landing.

In a DA40 (and probably other Diamond aircraft that have a G1000), "tach time" (used for maintenance purposes) is based on the time that the aircraft is moving at a predetermined air speed, and it is displayed on the Engine page.

Sandy
Last edited by Sandy on Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by astaib »

Hello,

This is the same for us, this is what I called bloc off / bloc on.

But the guy from OSAC (organization for flight safety in France) told me that maybe the AMM of Diamond proposed to record airborn time to managed the time between 2 inspections (50,100, 200...).

Thank you.

Arnaud.
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by CFIDave »

The US 14 CFR 1.1 definition of flight time applies to the pilot, NOT the aircraft. It's essentially the same as "Hobbs time."

For aircraft maintenance, you use "Tach Time" or G1000 "Time in Service" displayed on the MFD. This is approximately all time that the aircraft spends in the air. In Diamond G1000 aircraft this starts/stops when the plane exceeds around 40 knots IAS (for fixed gear DA40s), or when the weight-on-wheels switch shows that the plane is airborne (in DA42/DA62 retractables).
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by astaib »

Hello,

Very interresting but I dont have the G1000.
When you said "tach time", is it the tachymeter in the VM1000? If yes, I thought that the count starts as soon as the engine is running, isn't it?

Is there any clear instruction in the AMM (aircraft maintenance manual) to explain how to count the time between 2 visits (for example: is it 50h of running engine or 50h of moving aircraft or 50h of flying aircraft)?

Thanks again.

Arnaud.
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by blsewardjr »

Per the VM1000 operators manual "Engine hours are accumulated any time RPM is greater than 1500."
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by CFIDave »

astaib wrote:(for example: is it 50h of running engine or 50h of moving aircraft or 50h of flying aircraft?
Aircraft maintenance is performed based on "flying aircraft" time.
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by astaib »

Hi Dave, OK but is it written in the AMM?

Arnaud.
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by CFIDave »

astaib wrote:Hi Dave, OK but is it written in the AMM?
I don't recall, but every aircraft maintenance technician/licensed aircraft mechanic is taught to perform maintenance based on "Tach Time" (approximate time in the air) hours.
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Re: Flight time in the Aircraft log-Book

Post by astaib »

Re,

It seems that you are right for block off/block on (when the aircraft is moving by itself), but the airborne time can be used only if this is written in the AMM.

Arnaud.
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Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
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