diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL/Dataflash.h b/libraries/AP_HAL/Dataflash.h
index 74256a158d..3d98e014b2 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL/Dataflash.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL/Dataflash.h
@@ -4,9 +4,49 @@
 
 #include "AP_HAL_Namespace.h"
 
+/* Dataflash abstract class:
+ * This isn't the abstraction ArduPilot needs, but it is the abstraction
+ * ArduPilot deserves.
+ *
+ * I'll build a proper logging driver later which hides the details of using
+ * a dataflash / page based system under the hood. For now the Dataflash layer
+ * will be a port of the existing DataFlash APM1/APM2 driver.
+ * - pch, 31aug12
+ * */
 class AP_HAL::Dataflash {
 public:
-    virtual void init(int machtnicht) = 0;
+    virtual void init(void* implspecific) = 0;
+    virtual void read_mfg_id() = 0;
+    virtual bool media_present() = 0;
+    virtual uint16_t num_pages() = 0;
+
+    virtual uint16_t get_page() = 0;
+    virtual uint16_t get_write_page() = 0;
+
+    virtual void erase_all() = 0;
+    virtual bool need_erase() = 0;
+
+    virtual void start_write(int16_t page) = 0;
+    virtual void finish_write() = 0;
+    virtual void write_byte(uint8_t data) = 0;
+    virtual void write_word(uint16_t data) = 0;
+    virtual void write_dword(uint32_t data) = 0;
+
+    virtual void start_read(int16_t page) = 0;
+    virtual uint8_t read_byte() = 0;
+    virtual uint16_t read_word() = 0;
+    virtual uint32_t read_dword() = 0;
+
+    virtual void set_file(uint16_t filenum) = 0;
+    virtual uint16_t get_file() = 0;
+    virtual uint16_t get_file_page() = 0;
+
+    virtual int16_t find_last_log() = 0;
+    virtual void get_log_boundaries(uint8_t log,
+                        int16_t &startpage, int16_t &endpage) = 0;
+    virtual uint8_t get_num_logs() = 0;
+    virtual void start_new_log() = 0;
+
 };
 
 #endif // __AP_HAL_DATAFLASH_H__