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Step 1
The regulation that covers logging time is 14 CFR Part 61.51.
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Step 2
Most time logging is pretty straight forward, if you're in a single engine plane then log single engine time, multi-engine plane, likewise. If you're in a simulator it's not flight time. There are, however, a couple of quirks, and you should make some decisions on how you're going to log time as early as possible in order to keep your logbook consistent.
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Step 3
Your logbook contains a place for you to attest to the accuracy of the entries, so obviously you want your logbook entries to be true. Beyond that, exactly what you log is to some extent up to you. Certain types of logbook time are required to show that you meet recency of experience requirements or meet the aeronautical experience requirements for a new certificate or rating. You can log other time, as long as it's accurate, even if it is not eligible to be used to meet an experience requirement. When people get into heated discussions about "logging", they're almost always talking about time to be used to meet a requirement. Don't let anybody tell you "you can't log this time" when what they really mean is "you can't use this time to meet some requirement". Some people use their logbook as a journal of their personal flying experiences, that's fine, just make sure you know what entries are being used to show you meet the requirements set out in the regulations. So your first decision needs to be, what kind of time am I going to log and how will I keep track of the time needed to meet experience requirements?
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Step 4
Some instructors like to fill out all the entries in your logbook when they provide dual instruction, some don't. Many times a student gets in the habit of letting their instructor write all the time in their logbook, but my advice is, don't. If your instructor needs to endorse, sign-off or otherwise make entries in your logbook that's fine, but YOU should enter your time etc. This is especially true once you're a Private pilot because there is still, how can I put this, confusion, on how some time should be logged. It's your logbook, you decide how it should be logged.
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Step 5
You can ALWAYS log PIC time in an aircraft for which you are rated when you are the sole manipulator of the controls, regardless of the status of your medical and the flight conditions the flight is conducted in. This is true when you are receiving dual instruction and is true even if you are not qualified to act as PIC (although of course somebody needs to be qualified to act as PIC). Examples of where this may be useful:
* Getting a complex checkout, prior to the endorsement you can still log the time as PIC.
* Same goes for a high performance checkout or a high altitude checkout or a tailwheel endorsement.
* Flight by instruments under IMC or under IFR without an instrument rating, it's still loggable as PIC.
Where does it not apply? This is mostly obvious.
* Flying a multi-engine aircraft if you only have a single engine certificate.
* Flying a glider if you only have an airplane certificate.
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Step 6
If you're a Private pilot and think or suspect you might want to get a Commercial certificate at some point then you should spend some time looking at the aeronautical experience requirements for the commercial pilot. You need to track some additional types of time, time that usually isn't included in standard logbooks. For example you'll need to track your post-student "solo" time, which is time when you are the sole occupant (nobody else, pilot or no pilot) of the aircraft. You'll need to track night landings at controlled airports and a number of other things. Check the regulations for the detailed categories.
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Step 7
You might also want to check the requirements and categories of time you should report on the 8710 application for a certificate or rating. You only need to report the time required for the certificate or rating you're applying for, but even so, those requirements for instrument ratings etc. can be onerous to determine from the standard logbook.
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Step 8
You may want to invest in an electronic logbook which will cover the categories or can be customised to cover those categories.
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Step 9
The basic definitions of cross-country time are found in 14 CFR Part 61.1 (b)(3). A cross-country flight is any flight that involves a landing at another airport and involves navigation. This may be relevant to you when you are looking to qualify under Part 135 pilot requirements, since there this basic definition of cross-country is used. However, there is a difference in this basic definition and the requirements for cross-country flight to count as the appropriate aeronautical experience for a certificate or rating.
In essence:
* To meet the requirements for a Private or Commercial certificate or for an Instrument rating or to "exercise the privileges of a Recreational" certificate the flight must include a LANDING at a point MORE than 50NM from the point of original departure.
* For an ATP certificate the requirement is for a FLIGHT (not a landing) more than 50NM straight line distance from the point of departure.
* Otherwise any landing at any other airport counts as cross-country time. This is generally important for people looking to meet the 14 CFR Part 135 PIC requirements.
