• How to validate Logbook Pro against your written logbooks
• Are you over-logging?
• FlightCentral announces Route Browser v2
• Create a nostalgic logbook with a Cirrus Elite Old-World  Leather Binder
• Do you have written logs not yet entered into Logbook Pro?
• Version Matrix

A question that comes up from time to time is how to validate (compare) your written logbooks against what you're entering into Logbook Pro.  One of the common feedback items we hear and read from our users is how they find errors in their written logbooks once entering the information into Logbook Pro.  Logbook Pro is flexible in so many ways, in fact, you can do things with Logbook Pro you probably didn't even know, and that's why we write newsletters such as this to help you learn more about this invaluable software.

As you go through the process of transferring your prior written logbooks into Logbook Pro you may want to do page-by-page comparisons to see if there are any errors that you may want to go back and correct in your written logbooks.  The problem you may encounter is that the data entry area in Logbook Pro is a continuous list of your flights, so how do you get totals that match the information at the bottom of what you see in your written logs?  The answer is simple; just print out (or preview) a logbook report (Reports..Flight Log..Split-Reports..Jeppesen Style) such that the same number of rows print out as are in your written logbook.  Now you may ask "how do I configure Logbook Pro to show a specific number of rows?"  The answer is "set the top and bottom margins" which will force Logbook Pro to generate only the number of lines that will fit into the allowable margins.  (Note: Do NOT change left/right margins)  There is actually a second option which you can do instead of messing with the page setup (margins) and that is to create a custom template and modify the "row height" setting.  By increasing the row height to a larger value, less lines will be able to fit on a page and you'll then reduce the number of lines that Logbook Pro prints on a page allowing you to match that of your written logs.  See the images below for the example of making these changes.

1) A normal Jeppesen logbook layout which contains 21 rows per page

2) Page Setup dialog adjusting TOP and BOTTOM margins (do NOT change left/right margins)

3) The reduced report now showing 12 rows per page

4) Alternate option - custom template and increase row height setting

Are you working too hard when logging your flights in Logbook Pro?  We see customer logbooks whether for data entry services, turn-key printing services, or technical support and notice the often unnecessary custom columns the customer is using.  Custom columns used to add columns to Logbook Pro such as "ASEL", "Turbine", "Turboprop" etc. are unnecessary as Logbook Pro already provides this information for you, you just need to see the Analyzer and reports and you'll then understand what is automatically generated that include this information.

Logbook Pro streamlines the logging process as it does not need all of the redundant columns traditionally found in paper logbooks.  Logbook Pro eliminates essentially the entire block of "Aircraft Category & Class" found in your written logbooks.  In Logbook Pro you'll first fill out your aircraft type data in the Options...Aircraft area.  For example, when you add your C-152 you are telling Logbook Pro this is a Single-Engine Land under 12,500 lbs, not a complex, retractable, simulator, etc.  Then, when you log your flights all you need to log is your Date, Type, Route, Tail Number, and Duration.  As we are taking advantage of the power of your computer,  Logbook Pro correlates your Aircraft Type from your logbook entry with the Duration and can automatically calculate your aircraft specific columns for you.  You'll notice when you run the Analyzer that you'll see ASEL, AMEL, etc. columns.  But you didn't log them where are they coming from?  Logbook Pro is automatically creating them for you by simply taking your Duration and A/C Type columns and generating the traditional columns of information you expect to see.  These columns are also on your reports the very same way. 

So don't work too hard in logging flights!  I know you feel guilty in that it "should" take longer to log your flights but with Logbook Pro it's a click click done!  Your flight is logged!  Adding unnecessary columns clutters your logbook data entry areas and opens the possibility for mistakes as you may forget to put in a value for a column  It also uses up your available custom columns that could be used to track other interesting information.  Logbook Pro modernizes the way we log our flights, hopefully this tip will save you time and allow you to declutter your modern logbook in Logbook Pro.

FlightCentral released its latest "Logbook Pro Visualizer" called Route Browser version 2.  Route Browser continues to mature along side Logbook Pro allowing you to drill into Logbook Pro's invaluable records of your aviation history.  With Route Browser version 2 you can take the "black & white" text of your line-by-line Logbook Pro data and morph it into an Air Traffic Control style presentation overlaying of a map of the territories in which you have flown.  You can filter your data by Aircraft Type, Aircraft Number, Airports, and Year flown.  Perform interesting route analysis of your flights, distance calculations, and even export to the fascinating Google Earth software right from Route Browser!  It's nice when you have so much fun functionality wrapped up in a software program that costs next to nothing! 

FlightCentral is offering their newest version of Route Browser to everyone at the upgrade pricing of just $19.95.  Normally on sale for $29.95, Route Browser can be unlocked at this discount price for a limited time, through July 11th, 2007.  After July 11th the upgrade pricing will no longer be available, and remember, you do not have to be a version 1 customer to get the upgrade pricing, FlightCentral has made the upgrade pricing available to EVERYONE for this limited time.  Get your license now by clicking here.

The Old-World leather binder along with tan page products such as blank inserts, manual data entry pages, and endorsement solutions make a complete "nostalgic" logbook from your modern Logbook Pro software information.  This soft "terra" soft "suede-like" leather embossed with your name makes a personal logbook solution for you aviation buffs out there.  The Old-World binder has a 6-ring (gold-plated) binding solution that prevents pages from tearing out and keeping your logbook data safely intact.  An Old-World binder holds approximately 50 pages which can be duplex printed (front/back) holding about 1900 lines of your logbook entries. (100 printed pages with 19 lines per page)

Leather binders make the perfect gift such as for Father's day.  If you are a father and this is something you want, print this article and circle it and "drop the hint" for your loved one struggling to figure out what to get you.  If you're leery about printing we can take care of that for you with our turn-key printing service.  All it takes is your Logbook Pro backup and we'll send you the pages to insert into your new binder.  A hard copy logbook of your electronic data is not only needed such as for your flight reviews, interviews, but also for a backup in the event a catastrophe occurs related to your computer!  Make sure you have a hard copy backup of your logbook for safe keeping.

We have been non-stop transferring pilot's written logbooks to Logbook Pro since our Data Entry Service was announced.  It has been a huge success for all involved, our customers such as yourself, and our data entry staff working to make a few extra dollars on the side.  We have a great group of volunteers that handle your data entry needs, and your data entry service money goes directly to them, helping them out financially, NC Software does not profit off of this service.

We have a surplus of volunteers ready to do the dirty work in moving your written logbook data into Logbook Pro.  So if you have written logs sitting around that you just cannot bring yourself to typing in all that data, let our volunteers do the work for you.  The Data Entry service is very affordable and imagine how much time and the value of your time you would be spending to get all of your data transferred over, line by line!  We have an instant quote system called the "Data Entry Service Estimator" where you can approximate the number of lines  you'll need to have entered and the system will present you two numbers: 1) Normal service with remarks, 2) Service without remarks.  As the remarks take up most of the time and present the highest possibility of translation errors, we will discount your job 10% if remarks are not important to you.  This also speeds up the job so we can get your logbooks back to you in minimum time.  Click here to get your instant quote now.

It is often asked "do I send you my actual logbooks or photocopies?"  Most people send us their actual logbooks; carriers such as FedEx and UPS have earned a reputation in reliability.  However, we do have some that send us photocopies as well which also saves you the return shipping fees as we can shred the paper copies when done.  If you do send us photocopies, we do ask that you attach the left and right sides together so the staff can read across one complete row of your flight log information.  This also reduces the risk should the paper copies be dropped, we won't have pages getting shuffled.

If you have written logbooks sitting around ready to be transferred into Logbook Pro, contact us via our help desk and we'll send you the details and a contract that will answer any additional questions you may have.  The process is simple and all of the moneys paid for the data entry services go to the hard working volunteers handling your job.