Logbook Pro to Foreflight or Garmin Pilot?

[Parker_Woodruff]

I'm interested in streamlining my pilot logbook process.  Right now I just keep it saved on my computer using Logbook Pro and every now and then (it's been awhile), I upload a backup to Google Drive.

Has anyone moved their logbook info from Logbook Pro to Foreflight or Garmin Pilot?  How successful were you?  Did any problems arise that made it not worth the time?  I've flown probably 30-50 different models in around 1900 flight hours.  So I'm hoping aircraft make/models don't add too much complexity.

https://support.foreflight.com/hc/en-us/articles/215954768-Can-I-upload-my-logbook-directly-from-NC-Logbook-Pro-

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/garmin-pilot-logbook-now-features-import-export-tool/

I use Foreflight now but I'm also fine to move to Garmin Pilot.

Has anyone used both Garmin and ForeFlight logbooks and found one they prefer?

[hammdo]

 I did to ForeFlight from a spreadsheet. Created a spreadsheet using one of ForeFlight templates. Took a while but imported nicely. Keeping up with the logs are easy now. Import from logbook pro export is supported in ForeFlight I believe.
 

My import was through ForeFlight’s web interface. I’ve not used Garmin.

-Don

[midlifeflyer]

If Logbook Pro exports to csv, there may be a few tweaks needed to the spreadsheet but doable by someone with decent spreadsheet skills following the posted instructions. Not Foreflight or Pilot (I won't tie my primary logbook to an EFB subscription), but it wasn't difficult to transfer the database I'd been keeping as paper backup since DOS to MyFlightBook.

[Pinecone]

I went from AeroLog Pro to Safelog Pilot.   Mainly because they offered the data conversion.  In fact, they did the conversion for free before I bought the subscription.   Now I export every so often to Excel and CSV in case I have to swtich.

You could also Fore Flight and Garmin about importing into their eLog.

I did have to do some data cleanup.  Mainly because a few airports I have landed at are no longer airports.  Some IDs were just missing, but one has been reassigned.  I asked and they quickly told me how to fix it so that the ID for those flights were for the appropriate airport.

[Parker_Woodruff]

I think I'll be ok on the logbook entries.  Kind of nervous about how it will treat the makes and models.  Only one way to find out...I have ForeFlight right now, so I'll do that first.

[PeteMc]

ForeFlight is pretty straight forward on their import.  Get their template and DO NOT delete or hide any of their columns or headers.  And keep the Airplane section on top of your hours.  But you can remove all of their Sample Data.  Then just copy your numbers from your old Logbooks export to Excel/CSV for each of the appropriate columns and insert the data. 

And as @Pinecone said, if you've been flying for a while you will need to do some cleanup.  I also had a number of Airports that no longer exist or the Identifier has changed.  ForeFlight is also really bad about Legs or the order of various flights during the day.  

[Parker_Woodruff]

Thanks.  Hopefully I'll find time to do this this week.

[N201MKTurbo]

Back in the early 90s I wrote a logbook program in Delphi. I used it until about 5 years ago. After finally finding a copy of the DBISAM utility that would work with my version, it took a few hours to construct the proper import CSV. It actually took all my data with nothing left behind. 
 

I should backup ForeFlight more often though.

[Pinecone]

On 6/25/2023 at 7:39 PM, N201MKTurbo said:

I should backup ForeFlight more often though.

That is something I really like about SafeLog Pro.  You sync all your data to the cloud, and then to each device you use it on.  And if you open it on a device that hasn't been synched for a week or so, it prompts you to do so.

[PeteMc]

7 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

That is something I really like about SafeLog Pro.  You sync all your data to the cloud

Welll....  That's not really backing up.  You're still at the mercy of the people managing the servers.  In theory they are backing up, but you really don't know how often or what their Best Practices are.  Also, the one that gets most people is that they may only keep backups for X months or a year.

With ForeFlight and I would guess with SafeLog, you should have the ability to download a simple CSV file.  This way if your data get's corrupt in some of the older data and you don't notice it for months or maybe even years, you have your own copies to fall back on if needed. 

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by PeteMc

[N201MKTurbo]

I don't trust the cloud. If it is in the cloud, you don't own it and it can be taken away from you at any time. 

I prefer to have a file on my hard drive, or dare I say it, a printout. Even though it would suck to type it all back in again.

[Fly Boomer]

On 6/25/2023 at 6:39 PM, N201MKTurbo said:

I should backup ForeFlight more often though.

Remind me how you do that?  

[McMooney]

Gp logging import was pretty straightforward, no real difficulties but i did have a nice csv to start.

as for tying to a subscription, i make it a point to export my logs to cloud and computer atleast twice a year.

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, Fly Boomer said:

Remind me how you do that?  

Log into the web page from your computer and save a CSV. 

[Pinecone]

2 hours ago, PeteMc said:

Welll....  That's not really backing up.  You're still at the mercy of the people managing the servers.  In theory they are backing up, but you really don't know how often or what their Best Practices are.  Also, the one that gets most people is that they may only keep backups for X months or a year.

With ForeFlight and I would guess with SafeLog, you should have the ability to download a simple CSV file.  This way if your data get's corrupt in some of the older data and you don't notice it for months or maybe even years, you have your own copies to fall back on if needed. 

Yes, I am at the mer4cy of their cloud.  But I also have up to date copies on my phone, two tablets, two desktops, and one laptop.

And yes, you can export to CSV or even a PDF that looks like a paper logbook.  So I do that every so often.

[PeteMc]

2 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I don't trust the cloud. If it is in the cloud, you don't own it

Exactly!!  I've had clients that were majorly burned by "the cloud" and all the protection it is supposed to give you.  

Don't get me wrong, for certain collaborations the cloud is a great tool to use!!!  But to rely on other than the hugest 3rd parties and having very strict contracts with them so everyone knows what's being done and not being done, is just a disaster waiting to happen.  (How many weeks has it been since you check the oil???? )

Every so often I pull down a copy of my FF Logbook.  And then I grab a copy the 1st of the year.  The old random ones I collected during the year are tossed and I have Annual copies going back.  And yes, I randomly scroll back in time and double check the numbers to make sure the totals are always correct.

 

[PeteMc]

19 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

But I also have up to date copies on my phone, two tablets, two desktops, and one laptop.

Up to date copies...   You mean these devices have synced with their server or you REALLY HAVE COPIES?

If synced, then you have nothing.  If something happens to the data then your devices are going to be synced with the crap data.  Appearances of cloud data on separate devices is not a Backup.  

[Fly Boomer]

1 hour ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Log into the web page from your computer and save a CSV. 

Thanks.  I don't think I have ever logged into the web site.

[Fly Boomer]

26 minutes ago, PeteMc said:

Up to date copies...   You mean these devices have synced with their server or you REALLY HAVE COPIES?

If synced, then you have nothing.  If something happens to the data then your devices are going to be synced with the crap data.  Appearances of cloud data on separate devices is not a Backup.  

For me, that's the ONLY function of the cloud.  It allows me to look at what is on my laptop without carrying it around.

[toto]

For whatever it’s worth, I use MyFlightBook - totally free forever. They will send backups to any cloud service you choose, and the files are stored in your account under your login. So if MyFlightBook ever goes away, you have all of your data readily available in one or more cloud storage accounts that you control - and you can copy offline whenever you like.

I’m a fan, definitely recommend as an alternative to the big commercial players. 

https://myflightbook.com

[Pinecone]

17 hours ago, PeteMc said:

Up to date copies...   You mean these devices have synced with their server or you REALLY HAVE COPIES?

If synced, then you have nothing.  If something happens to the data then your devices are going to be synced with the crap data.  Appearances of cloud data on separate devices is not a Backup.  

The data is ON my devices.  Yes, if I sync to bad data, it will be a problem.  But that would be on the first device I synced.  Then I would not sync that other devices and generate PDF and CSV files first.

And I do generate PDF and CSV files every 6 months.  And I keep a paper logbook.

Yes, I have been literally burned.  My tehn current logbook was destroyed in 2001.  Many years later, I realized that I had not updated around 2 years of flying into my electronic logbook (AeroLog Pro).  I was able to recreate some flying (trips to Oshkosh and Sun n Fun), but lost a lot of short flights.   Now, it goes into my electronic one right away, then every so often I put them in my paper logbook.

[PeteMc]

I'd be curious if the printout or CSV file could be generated from one of your other devices - which would have to be Offline.  It wouldn't surprise me though if the file creation (for both formats) happened at the server and not on the device.  So you may be able to see the data on your Offline device, but not be able to do anything other than view, add or delete to that local version. 

Guess they could allow for printing and file storage, but you'd think they'd force a sync to make sure it was the latest data before the process could execute.

 

[Fly Boomer]

On 6/29/2023 at 1:24 PM, N201MKTurbo said:

Log into the web page from your computer and save a CSV. 

Not my day -- I just typed a somewhat long response, and then hit something that made it go away.  Short version:  I got on the web, but still don't see how to do it.  I'm prepared to be embarrassed.  It won't be the first time.

[hubcap]

Log in on the web to your Foreflight account.

Go to Logbook

Export a copy as a .csv file

[Pinecone]

8 hours ago, PeteMc said:

I'd be curious if the printout or CSV file could be generated from one of your other devices - which would have to be Offline.  It wouldn't surprise me though if the file creation (for both formats) happened at the server and not on the device.  So you may be able to see the data on your Offline device, but not be able to do anything other than view, add or delete to that local version. 

Guess they could allow for printing and file storage, but you'd think they'd force a sync to make sure it was the latest data before the process could execute.

 

Not sure about the first.  Which is why I do a dump every 6 months.

No sync required to do a dump.