In this series of articles I'm detailing my experience with COPA Flight Log. The last two times I've been flying I have made two flights. So I use the "Save & New" new button after the first entry, the "Save & Close" button after the second. Both times this resulted in the program crashing and loosing the entries. Making them one at a time and using the "Save & Close" button after each entry seems to work, but it is frustrating. I don't think I could trust it if I had more than two entries to make in a session.I'm still using it, and still finding issues, but it does provide some value that I like. I'm still keeping a hard copy log book, but I've stopped updating my spreadsheet and database.
COPA in conjunction with Skymark Technologies is offering members a free copy of COPA Flight Log electronic logbook. As an aircraft owner I have to be frugal, and the price is right. I'm a self confessed geek so my system is littered with all kinds of software that I have tried so what's one more download. I'm also skeptical, I've been in IT long enough to know that some free software isn't worth what it cost, on the other hand some free software is better than any you could buy no matter the cost. So off I go testing the software.Since I'm a geek you might think I could write my own electronic log book. Well I have, but I'm also a pilot so given the choice between using brain cells writing software and flying I would rather fly. So I do have a spread sheet, and an Access database in addition to my hard copy logs, but neither is anything special. But I do know what I want from an electronic log book.The first step is to get the swag installed. The COPA page has some nice screen
COPA Flight Log - Electronic Logbook. Part 1.5The insurance for one of the airplanes I'm listed on is due, so I must provide new logbook times. Goop incentive to finish loading up the COPA Flight Log to see how it does. If you have read my previous posts on this you know that imports of export files, even those create by Aloft cause a crash. I sent an email to Skymark on January 27th, so far I have not received any reply.There is another bug as well. When I enter a number of flights, as in bringing the program up to date with my log book, there is a Save and New button which completes the current entry but leaves the flight entry dialog up ready for the next flight. Unfortunately using this option also occasionally causes the program to crash, loosing all entries made during the session.Once all my data was entered the program was able to give me all the totals, and past 12 month figures the insurance company wants. Overall it seems like a fairly good design for private pilots or stu
COPA Flight Log - Electronic Logbook. Part 1It has been quite a while since part 1 of this series so I thought I should get an update going. I haven't had too much success with the import feature. I created a query for my Access database to pull out the data this software wanted and put it in a comma separated list file. Unfortunately when I tried to import the data the Logbook crashed. I checked my file, made a few tweaks, but the Logbook still crashes. So I made some standard entries into the Logbook, exported them, cleared the log and tried to import the file just exported, and it still crashed.So, I'm torn between submitting a support request and entering all my flight data by hand. I'll probably do the former and get a start on the latter this weekend so at least I can make some reasonable comments on the software.
COPA Flight Log - Electronic Logbook. Part 2I opened my copy of COPA Flight Log today to make some entries and it promptly informed me that there was a new version. According to the revision page this is version 1.02 and has been out since Feb 1. Here is the change log:v1.02 (Feb. 1/07) Fixed problems with importing csf filesAdded navigation toolbar for logbook viewSo I should be able to import all my flights. I've got other things on my plate right now but I will get to that soon and let you know how it works out.
