Time capture modes

What it is

A syndicate’s time capture mode controls which time-measurement fields are shown when a pilot logs usage. There are three modes:

Engine meter (engine_meter) — start and end meter readings only (Hobbs, Tacho, engine hours).
Clock time (clock_time) — off-blocks and on-blocks timestamps only.
Both (both) — both the meter readings and the block timestamps.

The mode is one of the syndicate-level defaults; a per-asset override can change it for a specific asset.

Who can use it

Visible to all members on the log screen. Only admins and owners can change the mode.

Where to find it

Syndicate-wide default: Syndicate settings → Billing (/syndicates/:syndicateId/settings/billing).
Per-asset override: Asset billing settings (/syndicates/:syndicateId/assets/:assetId/billing).

Stored on the syndicate as settings.default_billing.time_capture_mode and on each asset as asset_billing_config.time_capture_mode (null means inherit).

Fields / options

Mode	Serialised value	Meter fields	Clock fields
Engine meter	`engine_meter`	Yes	No
Clock time	`clock_time`	No	Yes
Both	`both`	Yes	Yes

Also relevant on the same screen: the billing basis — engine meter, block, or airborne — which decides which of the captured numbers is used to calculate hourly charges.

Behaviour rules

Engine meter only — pilots enter Start and End meter readings. The meter delta is the billable quantity when the billing basis is engineMeter.
Clock time only — pilots enter Off Blocks and On Blocks. Block time (or airborne time, after taxi) is the billable quantity.
Both — pilots enter all four. Either quantity can be used for billing; the billing basis decides which.
Billing basis must be consistent with the capture mode:
- engineMeter basis requires the mode to capture engine meter readings (engine_meter or both).
- block and airborne bases require clock times (clock_time or both).
Per-asset override precedence: per-asset > syndicate default > system default. A null field on the per-asset config means “inherit”.
Changing the mode does not rewrite history. Existing logs keep whatever fields they captured when they were saved. Reports continue to render them.