Can ForeFlight import photographs of paper logbook pages?

No. A photograph or PDF preserves the page image, but ForeFlight needs structured flight data in a supported CSV or TSV file. Quicklogs performs the paper-to-structured-data step and produces a ForeFlight-compatible CSV from the flights you review.

Can I convert a handwritten pilot logbook to ForeFlight?

Yes. Photograph or scan the pages, review the extracted dates, aircraft, routes, times, landings, approaches, and remarks in Quicklogs, then export the verified records for import through ForeFlight on the Web.

Should I transfer every flight or use ForeFlight catch-up entries?

Catch-up entries are faster and can establish starting totals, but they do not preserve the same aircraft, route, experience, approach, remark, and application detail as individual flights. Transfer flights line by line when that history matters; use catch-up entries when summarized prior experience is enough.

Do I need to keep my paper logbook after importing it?

Yes. Keep the original paper books, especially pages containing instructor signatures and endorsements. A digital logbook improves access, totals, backups, and reporting, but it does not make the signed source record disposable.

What happens to endorsements and instructor signatures?

Quicklogs can preserve endorsement text as a searchable reference, but an extracted copy does not replace the endorsement signed in your paper book. Retain the original. New ForeFlight entries can use ForeFlight's own instructor-signature workflow when appropriate.

Do I need a computer to import the finished file?

ForeFlight's current instructions direct pilots to import CSV or TSV files through ForeFlight on the Web from a computer. You can photograph and review pages from other devices, but follow ForeFlight's current Web import instructions for the final upload.

Does Quicklogs connect directly to my ForeFlight account?

No. Quicklogs generates a ForeFlight-compatible file that you download and import through ForeFlight on the Web. Quicklogs cannot inspect or change the flights already stored in your ForeFlight account.

Will importing the same file twice create duplicates?

Yes. ForeFlight states that imported entries are appended, so importing the same flights again can create duplicates. Back up the destination, test a small batch, and keep a clear record of which flights were already imported.

Is Quicklogs affiliated with ForeFlight?

No. Quicklogs independently produces a ForeFlight-compatible export. ForeFlight is a separate product and trademark of its owner.

Paper logbook → ForeFlight

Convert your paper pilot logbook to ForeFlight—without typing every flight into a spreadsheet

Photograph or scan your pages, review each extracted flight beside the original, and download a ForeFlight-compatible CSV you can import through ForeFlight on the Web.

By Dylan, Founder of Quicklogs · Updated September 1, 2026

Try 3 logbook pages free

No credit card required.

The short answer

ForeFlight needs flight records, not pictures of flight records.

ForeFlight cannot turn a photograph of handwritten rows into dates, aircraft, routes, times, landings, and approaches on its own. Its importer expects a structured CSV or TSV file. That means a paper logbook has to be transcribed, summarized, or converted before ForeFlight can total and report on it.

Quicklogs handles the conversion step. It reads the photographed page, builds draft flights, keeps the source image beside the rows, and asks you to verify the result. Only the flights you approve go into the ForeFlight-compatible export. You then preview and accept the file inside ForeFlight.

This matches ForeFlight's current paper-logbook import guidance, which says the paper record must first become a digital file.

Why make the move

Keep the logbook inside the flight tool you already use.

For many pilots, the appeal is not simply replacing paper. It is making flight history useful alongside planning, track logs, currency, and reports.

Keep flight history synced with the ForeFlight account used for planning and flying
Review totals, currency, certificates, ratings, and experience without hand calculations
Turn recorded Track Logs into draft entries for future flights
Request and receive instructor signatures on new digital entries
Generate experience reports and printable logbook detail
Back up and export the digital record instead of relying on one paper copy

ForeFlight maintains the authoritative description of its current digital-logbook features on the ForeFlight Logbook product page. Review the current plan and feature details before choosing it as your ongoing logbook.

Choose a method

Decide how much of the paper history you actually need in ForeFlight.

ForeFlight supports both individual flight records and catch-up entries. The right method depends on how much detail you will need later.

Method	Pilot effort	Keeps each flight	Main tradeoff
Manual template entry	High	Yes	Full control, but every flight must be typed and formatted.
Catch-up entries	Low	No	Fast, but prior flights become summarized totals.
Conversion service	Low to medium	Usually	Moves the typing elsewhere; review and pricing vary by service.
Quicklogs	Review-focused	Yes	Extracts and formats the rows; pilot review is still required.

Catch-up entries make sense when summarized prior experience is all you need. A line-by-line transfer makes more sense when you expect to answer detailed questions about aircraft, routes, approaches, training, applications, or currency. There is no prize for importing detail you will never use, but there is no easy way to recover detail you chose not to transfer.

Preserve the source

Keep the signed paper books after the import.

A digital entry makes your history easier to search and total. It does not erase the value of the page your instructor actually signed. Keep the original books securely, especially endorsements, training entries, and any record you may need to show later.

For U.S. pilots, 14 CFR §61.51 describes the aeronautical experience and training records a pilot must document. Quicklogs helps with conversion and review, but the pilot remains responsible for deciding whether the digital record matches the source.

The Quicklogs path

From photographed page to ForeFlight import file

The work shifts from typing every row to reviewing the records that were extracted.

Capture the pages. Photograph each page with your phone or upload scans you already have. Keep the pages in order and retain the originals.
Review every flight. Correct uncertain dates, identifiers, times, landings, approaches, remarks, or totals while looking at the source image.
Export the approved records. Download a ForeFlight-compatible CSV containing the verified flights you intend to import.
Preview and import in ForeFlight. Open ForeFlight on the Web, inspect the mapped records, and accept the import only when the preview is correct.

What moves

Preserve the details that make a digital logbook useful.

A line-by-line transfer protects more than total time.

Flight date and aircraft identification
Departure, destination, and route
Total, PIC, SIC, solo, and dual time
Day, night, cross-country, and instrument time
Day and night takeoffs and landings
Approaches, holds, and navigation tracking
Instructor names, remarks, and endorsement references
Aircraft make, model, category, class, and equipment information

ForeFlight publishes the authoritative formatting requirements for its logbook template. Quicklogs prepares the supported export, but you should still inspect ForeFlight's preview before accepting an import.

Import safely

Test three known pages before moving the complete history.

A small first import is easier to check—and much easier to undo—than a full logbook with a mapping mistake.

Export or otherwise back up the ForeFlight logbook you already have.
Choose three representative paper pages and verify every extracted row against the source images.
Download a ForeFlight-compatible CSV containing only those known flights.
From a computer, sign in to ForeFlight on the Web and open Logbook → Import.
Upload the file and inspect dates, aircraft, routes, time categories, landings, approaches, and remarks in the preview.
Complete the test import only when the preview is correct, then compare the resulting entries and totals with the paper pages.
Export the remaining verified history without including flights that were already imported.

Follow ForeFlight's current CSV and TSV import instructions. ForeFlight states that imported entries are appended, so importing the same flights more than once can create duplicates.

Know the boundary

Quicklogs prepares the file. You control the ForeFlight account.

Quicklogs does not sign in to ForeFlight for you and cannot inspect flights already stored there. It creates a compatible export from the records you verified. You choose the batch, download the file, review ForeFlight's preview, and decide whether to complete the import.

That separation is useful for control, but it also means Quicklogs cannot prevent you from importing the same file twice. Keep a clear cutoff date or batch record, and make an independent backup before each major import.

Still choosing a destination? Compare this workflow with the paper-to-LogTen Pro guide or read the broader pilot logbook digitization guide.

Questions

Paper logbook to ForeFlight FAQ

Can ForeFlight import photographs of paper logbook pages?: No. A photograph or PDF preserves the page image, but ForeFlight needs structured flight data in a supported CSV or TSV file. Quicklogs performs the paper-to-structured-data step and produces a ForeFlight-compatible CSV from the flights you review.
Can I convert a handwritten pilot logbook to ForeFlight?: Yes. Photograph or scan the pages, review the extracted dates, aircraft, routes, times, landings, approaches, and remarks in Quicklogs, then export the verified records for import through ForeFlight on the Web.
Should I transfer every flight or use ForeFlight catch-up entries?: Catch-up entries are faster and can establish starting totals, but they do not preserve the same aircraft, route, experience, approach, remark, and application detail as individual flights. Transfer flights line by line when that history matters; use catch-up entries when summarized prior experience is enough.
Do I need to keep my paper logbook after importing it?: Yes. Keep the original paper books, especially pages containing instructor signatures and endorsements. A digital logbook improves access, totals, backups, and reporting, but it does not make the signed source record disposable.
What happens to endorsements and instructor signatures?: Quicklogs can preserve endorsement text as a searchable reference, but an extracted copy does not replace the endorsement signed in your paper book. Retain the original. New ForeFlight entries can use ForeFlight's own instructor-signature workflow when appropriate.
Do I need a computer to import the finished file?: ForeFlight's current instructions direct pilots to import CSV or TSV files through ForeFlight on the Web from a computer. You can photograph and review pages from other devices, but follow ForeFlight's current Web import instructions for the final upload.
Does Quicklogs connect directly to my ForeFlight account?: No. Quicklogs generates a ForeFlight-compatible file that you download and import through ForeFlight on the Web. Quicklogs cannot inspect or change the flights already stored in your ForeFlight account.
Will importing the same file twice create duplicates?: Yes. ForeFlight states that imported entries are appended, so importing the same flights again can create duplicates. Back up the destination, test a small batch, and keep a clear record of which flights were already imported.
Is Quicklogs affiliated with ForeFlight?: No. Quicklogs independently produces a ForeFlight-compatible export. ForeFlight is a separate product and trademark of its owner.

Test your own handwriting before moving the whole logbook.

Upload three pages free, review the extracted flights, and see whether the ForeFlight workflow fits your records.

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