It all boils down to how you are going to log the time. This all depends upon which rules you fly under. For the purposes of this article, we are going to assume you fly in the US and under FAA regulations.
Total Time
The FAA has no definition for Total Time. Therefore, Total Time can be defined by the pilot as Total Pilot Time, Total Aeronautical Experience, Total Flight Time, or Total Aircraft Time. To make matters even more confusing, the FAA allows some Full Flight Simulator (FFS) time, Level C, or higher, to be used to complete a certificate or rating, whereas other simulator levels cannot be logged towards certificates or ratings. Oftentimes, when a pilot is interviewing, that particular airline will specify what time they want to see (Total Flight vs Total Experience) - and this is where people get confused and also very particular in how they log time. The way training devices are all categorized can be explained here.
At LogTen, we have not defined Total Time as one particular way or another. It's up to the individual to log the time how they choose to define Total Time.
The default behavior of LogTen is to calculate a Total Time if you use an OUT/IN or a HOBBS OUT/HOBBS IN value. Any other option (e.g. Tach) requires manual entry.
How to Track Simulator Time in LogTen
LogTen makes it easy to log simulator sessions alongside your regular flights. Follow these steps to ensure simulator time is recorded accurately and appears correctly in reports and analytics.
Step 1: Add a Simulator Aircraft Type
Double tap the Logbook tab, then tap Aircraft Types.
Use the Search field to begin entering your simulator type (e.g.,
B736SIM).Important: The name must differ from the real aircraft type (e.g., add "SIM" to distinguish it).
Tap + Create Entry.
Set the Category to Simulator.
Tap Done.
Step 2: Ensure the Simulator Field Is Enabled
Tap any flight in your logbook - and if the Simulator field is not in the Time section, follow the steps below to add it:
Tap the Actions button (top right corner).
Select Configure Fields.
Scroll to the Time section and tap Configure Section.
Toggle Simulator to ON.
Note: Simulator time will still be saved and included in your Analyze tab even if the field is later hidden.
Step 3: (Recommended) Enable Entry Type Field
In the same Configure Fields screen, go to the Flight section.
Tap Configure Section.
Toggle Entry Type to ON.
This allows you to log entries specifically as Simulator Duty.
Step 4: Log a Simulator Entry
Go to the Flights & Duties section and tap New Entry.
In the Flight section, set Entry Type to Simulator Duty.
Tap Aircraft Type and search using “My Types” to find and select your simulator (e.g.,
B736SIM).Fill in the simulator session details, including duration in the Simulator field of the Time section and any other relevant information.
Simulator time is now properly categorized and will be reflected in reports, Smart Groups, and Analyze views.
Training Devices
The same is true for Category of Training Device. The time will automatically get added to the respective Training Device or PCATD Category column (see below).
How LogTen Tracks Category Times
LogTen does track and differentiate time by Category. You can show these columns if you use Configure LogTen... from the Manage menu and check the box next to Category: Airplane or Category: Simulator. And if the Type records are properly categorized, the time shows up properly in Airplane or Simulator as required. You can also use a Smart Group to track your times based on type or any Category you choose.
NOTE: the Simulator category column is different than the Simulator Time field in the Flight Detail. In the current version, we do not automatically fill in time in the Simulator Time field, only the Simulator category column. The simulator time field can be used when you want to log sim time that does not count towards total time. This field, if you wish, can also be added as a column using Manage | Configure LogTen....
Recommendation
Our recommendation is you differentiate the simulator sessions by using a flight record with a SIM type. It's your choice how you want to log Total Time and most people tend to not include Simulator time in their Total Time (definition=Total Aircraft Time). But again, that is up to you. As long as you are consistent, LogTen allows you to report on and segment your time nearly any way you like. So if you are ever audited or present at an interview, you can clearly show them the difference between Aircraft vs. Simulator or Aircraft vs. Training Device.
See the tutorial video above for instructions on setting simulator aircraft up and logging simulator time!