Which FAA exams test 14 CFR 61.51?

This regulation is tested on the following FAA exams: PAR, IRA, CAX, FIA. These include the FAA Private Pilot (PAR), FAA Instrument Rating (IRA), FAA Commercial Pilot (CAX), FAA Certified Flight Instructor (FIA).

Part 61Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors

14 CFR 61.51 — Pilot Logbooks

Specifies what flight time must be logged and how to log it, including PIC, SIC, instrument, night, and cross-country time.

Regulation Text

Each person must document and record the following time in a manner acceptable to the Administrator: (1) Training and aeronautical experience used to meet requirements for a certificate, rating, or flight review. (2) The aeronautical experience required for meeting currency requirements. A pilot may log PIC time when the pilot is the sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which the pilot is rated, or when the pilot is the sole occupant of the aircraft.

Note: This is an excerpt. Refer to the full regulation in eCFR for the complete text.

Plain-English Explanation

Your logbook is your official record of flight experience. You must log all training time and any time needed to prove currency or meet certificate requirements. You can log PIC time when you are the sole manipulator of the controls (even if you are not the legal PIC) or when you are the sole occupant. Understanding what counts as PIC, SIC, cross-country, and instrument time is essential for both exams and career progression.