Documents & endorsements

Documents to carry

Definition

Two sets of documents have to be in order before you fly. You — the pilot — carry your pilot certificate, a medical certificate (or your BasicMed documents), and a government-issued photo ID. The aircraft carries the ARROW documents: an Airworthiness certificate, which stays in the aircraft and doesn't expire as long as the airplane is maintained and inspected; a current Registration certificate, valid for 7 years; a Radio station license, which you only need for international flights; the Operating limitations — the POH or AFM plus the airplane's placards and markings; and current Weight and balance data.

Explanation

The airworthiness and registration certificates must be aboard, and the airworthiness certificate has to be displayed where it's visible. ARROW is the memory aid that makes sure you never miss one on preflight.

Aircraft document (ARROW)	Note
A — Airworthiness certificate	Displayed in the aircraft; no expiration while it's maintained & inspected
R — Registration certificate	Must be current — valid 7 years
R — Radio station license	Only for international flights
O — Operating limitations	The POH/AFM, plus placards & markings
W — Weight & balance	Current data for that aircraft

Why it matters

Flying without the required documents aboard is a violation the FAA can catch on a ramp check — and an airplane missing its airworthiness or registration certificate isn't legal to fly at all.

From the Right Seat

I have students physically touch each ARROW document during preflight the first few flights — it turns the mnemonic into a habit they actually do, not just recite.

A DPE might ask

What documents must be aboard the aircraft, and what does ARROW stand for?
Which ARROW document do you only need for international flights?

14 CFR 91.203 & 91.9 — Required documents & operating limitations

Endorsements & the logbook

Definition

As a student pilot you collect logbook endorsements that unlock each new privilege: a pre-solo knowledge endorsement before your first solo, a solo endorsement that's renewed every 90 days and is specific to each make and model, and solo cross-country endorsements before you go. Every certificated pilot also carries a flight review endorsement, renewed every 24 calendar months. Your logbook is where you record the training and experience that prove you meet the requirements for a certificate, rating, or recency. A student pilot must carry the logbook with those endorsements on solo flights; once you're certificated, you generally don't have to carry it.

Explanation

The logbook is your evidence. Endorsements are your instructor certifying you're ready; the recorded hours are how you prove currency and eligibility. Certificated pilots keep the records but don't have to fly with the book.

Endorsement	When you get it
Pre-solo knowledge test	Before your first solo (61.87)
Solo flight	Before solo — renewed every 90 days, per make & model
Solo cross-country	Before solo XC, plus each specific flight
Flight review	Every 24 calendar months (61.56)

Why it matters

A missing or expired endorsement can ground a student solo, and sloppy logging can leave a certificated pilot unable to prove currency when it matters. The logbook is a legal record, not a diary.

Common error

Many people think every pilot must carry their logbook on every flight. Not so — a student pilot must carry it with the required endorsements on solo flights, but a certificated pilot generally does not need to carry the logbook at all. You keep the records; you just don't have to bring the book.

Must a certificated private pilot carry their logbook on a local flight?

Safety

Keep a photo of your key endorsements and certificate on your phone — if a ramp check or a rental checkout asks, you can show them without digging, and you'll always know your review and medical dates.

A DPE might ask

What endorsements does a student pilot need before solo?
Does a certificated pilot have to carry their logbook?

14 CFR 61.51 & 61.87 — Logbook, logging & student endorsements