How do you record your engine times

[AMURRAY]

Most of the airplanes I have flown have the hobbs meter connected to the squat switch which wouldn't run the hobbs until the weight is off the wheels. Well you don't have that choice with RVs. I know Vans method is to connect the hobbs to an oil pressure switch. Then the hobbs is turning as soon as you start. I know another way is to use a mechanical tach that turns the timer slower at idle I.E. Tach time. Most people are not using mechanical tachs anymore. I used to fly a Dutches that used a pitot pressure switch instead of a squat switch. The switch would close at something like 30 knots. One of my thoughts is to use one of these pitot switches hooked up to a hobbs. Some people have two hobbs, at least some of the trainers I flew, tach and TT. That way they could maintain the airplane per the slower running tach and charge you per the TT which was connected to the master. Any thoughts.

Thanks,
Aaron

[plehrke]

I use the oil pressure switch. It will end up showing more time on the plane and engine than if connected to the tach. Since I have the Repairman Certificate I can decide when to do the maintanence and therefore I adjust the oil change etc to corrispond to using the oil pressure instead. Down side is when (if I ever do) sell the plane it will appear to have more hours than if I used the tach.

[jsharkey]

Tach for engine time?
Oil Pressure driven HOBBS for Pilot in Command Time?
Coin toss for airframe time method - unless rules say otherwise.
Jim Sharkey

[chrispratt]

Aaron:

You might consider an EI (Electronics International) RPM gauge. It is electronic and will record tach time. I don't use mine for that purpose (I use the Hobbs gauge) but I think it won't start recording until you've exceeded a certain RPM, i.e., cruise power settings. You might want to look at EI's website and investigate.

I figure I'm not going be around long enough to reach 2,000 hours on my Hobbs so I'm not sweating the difference. You are right, however, that the difference can be substantial especially if you fly out of a busy airport like I do at Addison, TX. It is not unusual for me to see .3 or .4 on the Hobbs just waiting for takeoff at ADS.

Chris

[Dennis Madden]

I put an EI in my RV-4. It starts recording time when RPM exceeds 1300 or so. If your at idle a lot, like in the pattern, it ads no time. On the flip side, it records time like a clock. (as opposed to mechanical tachs that record slower for slower engine speeds.) They preset it to my engines time at the factory, so no adding two numbers to get the total. Has a bunch of other features, but I'll not bore you with them. Allowed me to close up a firewall hole too. ;-)
Good luck

[PCHunt]

Originally Posted by jsharkey

Tach for engine time?
Oil Pressure driven HOBBS for Pilot in Command Time?
Coin toss for airframe time method - unless rules say otherwise.
Jim Sharkey

I think the regs call for logging time on airframe and engine to be airborne time, i.e.: Liftoff to Touchdown.

As always, I am standing by to be corrected!

[RVadmirer]

I'm told by a long time Corporate Pilot the rules say "block to block" which isn't recordable by any instrument other than the fancy watches they sell to pilots that can afford them!
Am using oil pressure Hobbs for all. I fire up and am rolling within 60 seconds. Seems reasonable for engine records and flight time? Am sure open to a better idea!

[chrispratt]

Originally Posted by PCHunt

I think the regs call for logging time on airframe and engine to be airborne time, i.e.: Liftoff to Touchdown.

I was always taught to log PIC time from when the engine started to when it stopped (hopefully parked at that point). So Hobbs is good for this. And it makes sense since the PIC is responsible for anything that happens when the engine is running. How this relates to engine time, however, is debatable and makes for an interesting discussion considering the low demands of taxiing and idle versus takeoff and cruise. I have no idea what the right answer is to this, but would be curious if Lycoming, et al address the subject.

Chris

[L.Adamson]

Originally Posted by chrispratt

I was always taught to log PIC time from when the engine started to when it stopped (hopefully parked at that point). So Hobbs is good for this. And it makes sense since the PIC is responsible for anything that happens when the engine is running. How this relates to engine time, however, is debatable and makes for an interesting discussion considering the low demands of taxiing and idle versus takeoff and cruise. I have no idea what the right answer is to this, but would be curious if Lycoming, et al address the subject.

And since you're paying for fuel, it at least makes your personal logged time, "more accountable" as well.

First 10 hours for insurance purposes? The 25 to 40 hour flyoff before passengers? Hobbs on oil pressure is the way to go.

L.Adamson

[Jaypratt]

kinda splitting hairs..... but my $.02 .........
I use Tach time for oil changes, I change my oil on 100, hrs 150 hrs, 200 hrs, on the RV 8. It has an oil filter. The Super Cub does not have a filter and it gets changed every 25 hrs, ie 100, 125, 150, 325, hrs.
I think a hobbs is great if you are charging rent. I own my own airplanes and do not rent them out. I think buying a piece of equipment ie, hobbs meter for my use would be a waste of $$
For my log book entries I use the Garmin 396 flight log. Quit using / wearing a watch when I got a cell phone.