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Intermediate 10 min read Updated 26/10/2024

Importing and Logging ForeFlight Cross Country Flights in Excel

Learn how to efficiently import, organize, and track your cross-country flight data from ForeFlight into Excel, creating a comprehensive flight logbook with detailed statistics and analytics.

In this tutorial:

Exporting data from ForeFlight
Setting up Excel logbook template
Importing and formatting flight data
Creating flight statistics
Automating calculations

You'll need:

ForeFlight account with logged flights
Microsoft Excel
Basic Excel knowledge

Importing ForeFlight Cross Country Flights to Excel

Step 1: Exporting Data from ForeFlight

Export Process:

1

Open ForeFlight App

Navigate to Logbook section
2

Access Settings

Tap the gear icon in Logbook view
3

Export Data

Choose "Export CSV" option

Step 2: Creating Excel Logbook Template

Essential Columns

Column Name	Data Type	Description
Date	Date	Flight date (YYYY-MM-DD)
Route	Text	Departure-Destination
Total Time	Number	Flight duration (decimal)
Aircraft Type	Text	Aircraft model
Cross Country	Number	XC time (decimal)

Format Settings

Date Format


                            Custom Format: yyyy-mm-dd

                            Category: Date

                            Locale: English (US)

Time Format


                            Custom Format: [h]:mm

                            Category: Time

                            Decimal Places: 1

Step 3: Importing Flight Data

Import Steps

1

Data Tab → Get Data → From Text/CSV

Select your ForeFlight export file
2

Transform Data
- Remove unnecessary columns - Format date column - Clean up route information
3

Load to Sheet

Choose your destination worksheet

Step 4: Setting Up Calculations

Essential Formulas

Total Cross Country Time


                            =SUMIF(CrossCountry, "Yes", TotalTime)

Distance Calculation


                            =IFERROR(ROUND(DistanceNM*1.15,1),0)

Summary Statistics


                        'Total Flights
                        =COUNTA(FlightDate)
                        
                        'Total XC Hours
                        =SUMIF(FlightType,"XC",Duration)
                        
                        'Average Flight Time
                        =AVERAGE(Duration)

Pro Tips

Best Practices:

Create backup copies of your logbook
Use data validation for consistent entries
Add conditional formatting for visual tracking

Advanced Features:

Create pivot tables for analysis
Use charts to visualize progress
Set up automatic backups

Common Issues and Solutions

Date Format Issues:
Use Text to Columns with DMY or MDY format specification
1. Select date column 2. Data → Text to Columns 3. Choose 'DMY' or 'MDY' under Date format
Missing Flight Times:
Check for text vs. number formatting
=VALUE(TimeColumn) 'Convert text to numbers =TIMEVALUE(TimeColumn) 'Convert to time format

Data Analysis and Reporting

Creating Pivot Tables

1

Insert → PivotTable

Select your flight data range
2
Suggested Fields:
- • Rows: Date (grouped by month)
- • Columns: Aircraft Type
- • Values: Sum of Flight Time

Visual Analytics

Flight Hours Chart


                        1. Select data range
                        2. Insert → Charts → Line
                        3. Add title: "Monthly Flight Hours"
                        4. Format X-axis as dates

Route Analysis


                        1. Create frequency table
                        2. Insert → Charts → Pie
                        3. Label: "Most Common Routes"
                        4. Add percentage labels

Automation with VBA

Auto-Update Macro


                Sub UpdateLogbook()
                    'Refresh data connection
                    ThisWorkbook.Connections("ForeFlight").Refresh
                    
                    'Update calculations
                    Call CalculateTotals
                    
                    'Refresh pivot tables
                    ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Analysis").PivotTables("PivotTable1").RefreshTable
                    
                    'Save workbook
                    ThisWorkbook.Save
                End Sub