Building a logbook review binder: five tabs in one PDF
The five tabs of an airline interview binder, and the interview package that prints them as one PDF: front pages, the ledger, and your original records behind dividers.
A standard interview binder has five tabs: contents, flight experience, logbook, training and miscellaneous. The interview package prints your binder in that order as one PDF, with your original records behind the ledger.
Each page fits the paper you pick, so the PDF goes straight from the printer into the binder.
What goes behind each tab
- Contents: a cover with your name and export ID, and every section and record with its page.
- Flight experience: career totals and the bridge from your military total to the civilian one, hours by year and by aircraft, a logbook inventory with totals by aircraft, the aviation career milestones page with each tab's number and page, and an evaluation summary with each checkride's printed grade and crew position.
- Logbook: your records office's letter, the ledger, then each flight record you uploaded behind a divider.
- Training: your evaluation folder, qualification forms and training records, each behind a divider.
- Miscellaneous: orders, certificates and anything else you add.
Turn off any front page you don't want. Ledger only leaves out the records.
Your records, behind dividers
Every PDF or photo behind a flight or record in your logbook goes in unless you turn it off. Each prints exactly as you uploaded it, scaled to fit above a thin footer with the package page number and export ID. That includes anything printed on it, like an SSN or DoD ID.
The divider in front of each record says what it is, the dates it covers, which ledger pages its flights are on, how many pages it has and when you uploaded it. Add a short note for the reviewer when a record needs one, like where an older record picks up.
A file you uploaded twice prints once. When you have two prints of one report, the newest goes in and you can add the other. Spreadsheets and CSV files aren't printed, since their flights are your ledger. A password-protected PDF, or a GIF or WEBP image, is left out and named on the contents page.
Prepared for an airline
Pick the airline you're applying to and the package uses that airline's worksheet rules, so its numbers match the worksheet you copy into the application. Flight experience then opens with the application numbers: each number on the application, the aircraft table in the airline's columns, how each number was figured, and the bridge from your military records total.
A checklist shows what to bring and marks each item as in the package, on file, missing, or one to bring yourself. The United, Delta, American, Southwest, UPS and FedEx lists follow what each airline publishes, including the records it asks of your service branch. Every list includes your Pilot Records Database record and how to print the airline's copy.
Tabs where they belong
The tabs follow the airline you prepare the package for. Southwest's interview guide asks applicants to tab the pages where they crossed 250, 500, 750 and 1,000 fixed-wing turbine hours, plus their most recent turbine flight. United asks for 1,500 hours total time, 1,000 turbine hours, FAA checkrides and any failed checkride. Other airlines want checkrides and milestones easy to find.
The milestones page lists each one with its tab number and page, and the ledger marks its line T1, T2 and so on in the margin. With the milestones page off, a tab index page lists them with their page and line instead. Turn on tab markers and each tabbed page also gets a numbered marker on its outer edge. The markers step down the page so the tabs don't cover each other in a closed binder, and they switch sides for double-sided printing.
Paper for a binder
Pick Binder under Paper and every page, your records included, leaves room for the holes, so the holes don't land in your columns. A portrait record turns a quarter turn with its top at the holes, so it prints close to full size. Binder, double-sided alternates the margin so it's always on the binding edge, and starts each tab and divider on a right-hand page.
Your records office's letter
If your records office signed a letter verifying your flight history, add it. It opens the Logbook tab, and every ledger page with flights in the letter's date range cites it on the title line.
The finishing details
- Your ATP or R-ATP, first-class medical and FCC permit on the cover, if you want them there.
- Your saved signature on every ledger page, or a blank line on each for a wet signature.
- An export ID that anyone holding the PDF can look up.
- Your choices are saved for the next download, on the web or in the app.
The package organizes and explains your records. It doesn't replace them. Bring your original logbooks and records, and check each airline's current instructions before you print.