Logging flight time?

Question

When you log flight time in your logbook as a student pilot, or as a private pilot, how does the FAA or airlines know that is the right amount of time you flew? In other words, what is stopping a pilot from writing down 6 hours of flying when he only flew for 2? How is this all verified??

Thank you

Answer 1

I can confirm what JetDoc said in his answer. In addition most employers will have a realistic expectation on how a pilot with a certain amount of hours would perform on a checkride or pre employent check flight.

Answer 2

Pilots are expected to log time honestly and accurately; it says something about the type of people most of us are: trustworthy and honor-bound. In fact, a logbook is a legal document and falsifying it is a serious federal offence. That said, there are people who cheat by padding their logbooks in order to get a job, and I've known more than a few.  Mostly, if there has been any gross "P-51 time" logged (so named for the Parker P-51 fountain pen), it's usually pretty easy to tell since inexperience or inconsistancies often become evident in an oral interview or a flight review. There are people who can and do beat the system, but most of the fakes can be rooted out. First, there are flight school and employment records of flight time, and even if you own your own plane, there are records that can be checked there too. And every time you apply for a medical or a new certificate, you have to give your total time and flight time in the past 6 or 12 months, so there's another paper trail with the Fed's that can be easily cross-checked.  Unless they stay right on top of the pyramid of lies they create, it's easy for the house of cards to eventually fall in on those who falsify logbooks. Believe me, the airlines are very thorough when they go over your logs and question you about various aspects of it. And if they have caught something glaring or even suspect you of lying about your flight time, then kiss your chance of getting hired goodbye.

Answer 3

Most of the time, it's left up to the individual to maintain an honest record of his own flight time, but if the FAA really wanted to verify your flight time, they could compare your logbook entries to the aircraft maintenance records, or commercial aircraft dispatch records, or several other sources. Falsifying official records is a crime, and it's just not worth jeopardizing your career to pad a few more hours onto your logbook.