Rule 67A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 requires every licensed flight crew member in India to keep a personal logbook in the form the Director-General prescribes, log all flight time in it in ink, and keep it for 5 years after the last entry. You certify it at the end of every month, and it is countersigned every quarter. Airline pilots also have an eGCA e-logbook, which their operator fills in under Operations Circular 03 of 2024.
What Rule 67A requires
The first four sub-rules set the basics:
- (1) Keep one. "Every member of the Flight Crew licensed under these rules shall maintain a personal log book, in the form prescribed by the Director-General and all flight times shall be logged therein."
- (2) In ink. "All entries in log books shall be made in ink."
- (3) For five years. Logbooks "shall be preserved for not less than 5 years after the date of the last entry therein."
- (4) Certified. You certify the accuracy of your flight time "at least at the end of each calendar month". At the end of March, June, September and December, the logbook is certified again by a competent authority.
Rule 67B adds the penalty side: no one may destroy, alter or make a false entry in a logbook, or leave one out.
Who countersigns each quarter
Rule 67A(4) names three groups:
- Professional pilots: "the Operations Manager, Deputy Operations Manager, or Chief Pilot of the Air Transport Undertaking concerned".
- Flying school: the Chief Flying Instructor or Deputy CFI, or, if both posts are vacant, a person the Director General authorises.
- Everyone else: officers designated by the Director General.
During dual instruction, the pilot-in-command certifies the dual entries, and the instructor records "the nature of the instruction given" in your logbook (Rule 67A(5)).
How to log time by role
- Pilot-in-command under supervision, P1(U/S). Rule 67A(6): it "may be logged as pilot-in-command provided the person is entitled and authorized to fly in command of that type of aircraft by virtue of the ratings and privileges of his pilots licence. In all other cases, such flight time shall be logged as co-pilot with appropriate indication in the remarks column."
- CPL and ATPL holders. You log as PIC the time you act as PIC, and as co-pilot the time you act as co-pilot (Rule 67A(9)).
- Instructors. The remarks column shows the time was flown as an instructor (Rule 67A(10)).
- Instrument time. Only when the aircraft is "flown solely by reference to instruments", in actual or simulated conditions. "Over-the-top flying shall not be logged as instrument flying time" (Rule 67A(11)).
Flight time itself is block to block: from first movement for take-off to coming to rest at the end of the flight (Rule 3(22)). Night is half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise (Schedule II); see how DGCA night time is worked out.
The eGCA e-logbook
Two DGCA circulars bring the logbook online.
For licence applicants (Flight Crew Licensing Circular 02 of 2019, still on DGCA's list of current circulars), you log your flying in the e-logbook in your eGCA profile. Authorised personnel then certify or approve it. Approved entries can't be changed afterwards, so check them before you submit.
For airline pilots (Operations Circular 03 of 2024, for scheduled operators and their pilots), the airline's own system fills your e-logbook from its records, and the clock runs from each flight:
| Step | Who | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Entry sent to you | Operator | 7 days |
| Certify it, or propose a correction with proof | You | 21 days |
| Decide your correction proposals | Operator | 30 days |
| Data on the eGCA servers | Operator | 45 days |
| Manual entries and corrections finished | You and operator | 90 days |
The operator must reach at least 98% data accuracy and keep backups for 5 years. Each quarter it gives you a PDF of your e-logbook, countersigned by the operator, and you "print and sign the quarterly pdf e-logbook" and keep it for 5 years.
Do you still need a paper logbook?
Rule 67A says nothing about electronic logbooks; its only format rules are "the form prescribed by the Director-General" and ink. In practice paper still matters:
- ATPL (A) issue on eGCA lists "Log Book(s)" among the original documents to send DGCA.
- Older flying entered in eGCA as "previous" entries is checked against your physical logbook when you apply.
- eGCA's bulk upload is only for history. DGCA's manual says no one shall enter current flying through it.
What the new aircraft rules may change
The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 replaced the Aircraft Act, but its section 43 keeps the 1937 Rules in force. Draft replacement rules, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Niyam, 2025, were published in July 2025. As of 21 October 2026 they have not been notified, and DGCA still lists Rule 67A as current. When they are notified, check the new logbook rule before your next quarterly countersignature.
A routine that keeps you compliant
- After each duty, log the flight with OUT, OFF, ON and IN times and your role.
- Within 21 days (airline pilots), certify or correct each eGCA entry your operator sends.
- At month end, reconcile your logbook with your roster and eGCA, then certify the month.
- At quarter end, get the countersignature, and print and sign your operator's quarterly PDF.
- Every month, back up or export your logbook, and keep everything for at least 5 years after the last entry.
Certify on your iPhone
Pilotbook, an iPhone logbook from Tera Labs, asks you to certify each month once it ends, with an optional reminder on the 1st. You sign with your finger or type your name, and monthly certification is free. For the quarter, print a countersignature sheet for your chief pilot or CFI, or, with Pro, have them sign on your iPhone. Each signature is tied to a SHA-256 hash of the entries it covers, and a flight edited after signing is marked "Edited after signing". Unrated P1(U/S) time is logged as co-pilot with a "P1(U/S)" remark. Pilotbook is coming soon to the App Store: see what it does.
Questions people ask
What is Rule 67A?
The rule in the Aircraft Rules, 1937 on logbooks of flight crew and logging flight time: what to log, in ink, kept for 5 years, certified monthly and countersigned quarterly.
Who signs a pilot logbook in India?
You certify it each month. Each quarter it is countersigned by your operations manager, deputy operations manager or chief pilot at an airline, or your CFI or deputy CFI at a flying school.
How long must I keep my pilot logbook?
At least 5 years after the date of its last entry (Rule 67A(3)). Airline pilots also keep the signed quarterly e-logbook PDFs for 5 years.
Is the eGCA e-logbook mandatory?
Licence applications through eGCA need your e-logbook filled in. For airline pilots, Operations Circular 03 of 2024 has the operator fill it and you certify it.