Training records are the auditable file of every lesson, grade, endorsement, test and approval for each student. Regulators require them to be complete, consistent and retrievable — and record-keeping findings are among the most common audit non-conformities at flight schools.
Training records are the complete documented history of a student's training: every lesson with its syllabus reference, content, duration, grade and instructor signature; theory instruction and exam results; stage checks, endorsements, authorisations and tests; plus the supporting documents — medical, licence, identification — that establish eligibility. Regulators require records to be complete, contemporaneous, tamper-evident and retained for defined periods (commonly three years or more after course completion).
The regulatory function of training records is proof: proof that training followed the approved syllabus, that prerequisites were met before each privilege was exercised, and that the person recommended for a test actually completed the course. Digital record systems add a second function — live oversight — because structured records can be queried: which students are behind plan, which lessons were flown out of sequence, which signatures are missing this week rather than at audit time.
Why it matters for flight schools
Record-keeping findings are among the most common non-conformities in ATO, DTO and Part 141 audits — not because schools train badly, but because paper and spreadsheet records degrade under operational pressure: instructors sign in batches, lessons are logged from memory, files live in three places. The consequences run beyond audits: incomplete records delay skill tests and checkrides, complicate student transfers between schools, and in dispute or incident cases become legal evidence.
How FlightLogger handles it
FlightLogger creates the training record as a by-product of operating — the booked lesson, its syllabus item, the grade and the digital signature are captured in one flow at the point of training, producing continuously audit-ready records with zero file assembly.
Frequently asked questions
How long must training records be kept?
EASA requires ATOs to retain student training, theory and exam records for at least three years after course completion; national and FAA requirements vary by record type. Many schools retain longer for liability reasons — which makes GDPR-compliant retention schedules important in Europe.
Are digital signatures acceptable in training records?
Yes — authorities broadly accept electronic records and signatures where integrity, attributability and auditability are ensured. The practical bar is that the system must show who signed what, when, and that entries cannot be silently altered.