How to Think About BATD Time
This page gives customer-friendly guidance only. It is not a legal interpretation. Always follow the current FAA rules, the device letter of authorization, and your instructor’s guidance.
Key Ideas
BATD Credit
A BATD can be approved for certain training and experience credits. The allowed credit depends on FAA rules and the specific device authorization.
Instrument Currency
FAA rules allow aviation training devices to be used for certain instrument recency tasks when the required tasks and records are completed.
Instructor Requirements
For training time and certificate/rating credit, an authorized instructor is commonly required to observe, provide training, and sign the logbook or training record where required.
Not Aircraft Flight Time
Simulator/device time should be logged in the correct device/training columns, not as airplane flight time or PIC aircraft time.
Suggested Logbook Entry Fields
- Date
- Device make/model and identification, if available
- Total device time
- Instrument time, if applicable
- Approaches, holds, tracking, and procedures completed
- Training content or lesson description
- Instructor name, certificate number, expiration/recent-experience date, and signature when required
Do not guess
If your goal is currency, rating credit, or a checkride prerequisite, ask the instructor or staff to confirm the device authorization and exact logbook wording before relying on the entry.
