Example Achievement Log for a Commercial Airline Pilot

A year in the life of a Commercial Airline Pilot's log

• Jan - achievement: Completed Type Rating on 787 Dreamliner ahead of schedule. 37 cycles in sim plus two line checks passed on first attempt. Went on roster as captain-qualified 2 March.
• Mar - task: Covered for sick captain on KMCO-EGLL on short notice. Sixteen-hour duty day with one crew member new to long-haul; briefed extended procedures three times.
• Mar - feedback: First Officer Chen said after KORD approach: 'You caught the crosswind shear alert before dispatch showed it. That's the third time this month you've briefed us into something the computers missed.'
• Apr - task: Engine bleed valve failed on climb-out from KSEA. Ran emergency descent checklist, declared priority with ATC, made single-engine bleed landing at KBFI. Aircraft MEL'd for two days.
• Jun - achievement: Passed Proficiency Check with examiner Hernandez. All approaches within tolerance. Noted 'excellent crosscheck discipline and crew resource management' in file.
• Jun - feedback: Captain Morrison (line check, KJFK-KMIA): 'You're training your First Officer instead of flying with her. Give her the control and let her fail in the sim, not on revenue.'
• Aug - achievement: Upgraded to Designated Pilot Examiner. Conducted 12 type-rating checkrides and two proficiency checks. Zero retakes; examinee feedback forms averaged 4.8/5 on clarity.
• Sep - task: Navigated EGLL hold for 47 minutes due to runway incursion. Managed fuel burn with cross-check against landing minima. Made approach with 8,600 pounds remaining. Debriefed with Captain Wilson on dispatch resource allocation.
• Sep - achievement: Led transition training for NextGen equipment rollout across 18-pilot crew. Developed four scenario modules for dispatch decision-making. All pilots signed off on KJFK autoland and CPDLC changes by 31 October.
• Nov - task: Sick leave November 3-9. Returned to find 22 emails in pilot group chat re weather routing for winter. Compiled three preferred routings for feedback to Operations.
• Dec - feedback: Chief Pilot Reeves: 'Your DPE evaluations are thorough but kind. You're catching people who are nervous, not catching people who are incompetent. We need both.'

What makes a strong entry

How this becomes your review in November

This year I transitioned to captain on the 787, completing Type Rating ahead of schedule with two first-attempt line checks, and became a Designated Pilot Examiner, conducting 12 checkrides with zero retakes. I led the NextGen equipment rollout across 18 pilots, developing scenario modules for dispatch decision-making, and ensured all crews signed off on KJFK autoland and CPDLC procedures by month-end. While Chief Pilot Reeves noted I balance thoroughness with fairness in evaluations, I've worked to sharpen my eye for genuine performance gaps alongside crew coaching, and I managed several high-consequence events, an engine bleed failure, a 47-minute hold, and unplanned single-engine operations, within checklist discipline and fuel awareness.

Starting your own log

Don't try to reconstruct a year you have already had. Start from today, one line whenever something happens, and let it build. The Perform Review Achievement Log does this for you and can capture wins straight from Slack, and how to start an achievement log covers the wider playbook.

Example Logs for Related Roles

• Restaurant Manager achievement log example
• Barista achievement log example
• Catering Manager achievement log example
• Restaurant Server achievement log example
• Flight Attendant achievement log example
• Hotel Manager achievement log example