Dauntless Aviation Rude?

G

gfvalvo

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Oct 4, 2025
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Display Name
Greg
Hi all. Been flying GA for decades but just joined here. Hope this is a proper spot to post my question. Up until now, I’ve been a paper logbook Luddite, but have recently started exploring electronic solutions.

I was evaluating the free trial version of Safelog and had an issue. I entered a simple inquiry at the Dauntless Aviation Help Desk. The answer I got back didn’t work for me so I entered a follow up. Then the Help Desk banned me!!! They said I violated “terms of use” or something. This is not conducive to me wanting to purchase their product!!!

But, anyway, my real question is what’s peoples’ opinion of Dauntless Aviation? Reading their statements, FAQ articles, etc, their attitude strikes me as rude, condescending and dismissive. Anyone else notice this?

Thanks.
Greg
 
Never heard of them. Both Foreflight and Garmin Pilot have built-in electronic logbooks. There are some excellent free logbooks. MyFlightBook is a free one and the developer posts here on occasion. Worth a shot for you.

https://myflightbook.com/logbook/mvc/pub

No reason to purchase an electronic logbook, in my opinion, unless you're a professional pilot needing specific tracking. For GA, there are a ton of free or built-in solutions. No need to work with a company who you've butted heads with (inadvertently or otherwise).
 
Second vote for Myflightbook, the developer answers e-mails promptly and happily takes suggestion and changes things - he was even patient with answering a myriad of my (admittedly idiotic!) neophyte questions. I too was a luddite for decades and have recently switched to Myflightbook
 
Just my two cents. I will never do business with Dauntless again. Years ago when I was going digital I tried their software which then went behind a paywall making it painful and expensive to export. Now it’s just excel which does everything I need and want to do.
 
Solve all problems with myflightbook.
You will be treated with respect and your questions answered promptly, helpfully.
The owner frequents this site and answers questions right here.
The owner can be reached by email.
edit: The app is available on at least iphone, android and my laptop (tks, @TCABM )
Makes currency and insurance totals easy.
The app is free, although its well worth the suggested donation & I encourage all users to contribute.

---satisfied user.

@EricBe , (for corrections & additions)
 
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Thanks for the responses, all. I did try calling Dauntless’s “don’t you dare call this number for user support” contact number. To their credit, I got a call back (on a Saturday) in about 10 minutes. He was friendly and polite, but the message was still the same … Go F*ck Yourself. He said they didn’t think I was a good fit to be their customer. They didn’t like how I questioned their design philosophy of the trial version that kept me from testing features that I was interested in.

Professionally, I’m an engineer in a highly-technical field. So, my questions tend to be blunt and direct. Guess it’s a good thing I found out about their thin skin now rather than after I paid them money. Perhaps they don’t understand the tightly-knit nature of GA and how personal interactions and word of mouth are very influential. More likely, they don’t care and are focused on the airline crowd.

So my advice, for what it’s worth, is to stay away from Dauntless Aviation.
 
gfvalvo said:
Thanks for the responses, all. I did try calling Dauntless’s “don’t you dare call this number for user support” contact number. To their credit, I got a call back (on a Saturday) in about 10 minutes. He was friendly and polite, but the message was still the same … Go F*ck Yourself. He said they didn’t think I was a good fit to be their customer. They didn’t like how I questioned their design philosophy of the trial version that kept me from testing features that I was interested in.

Professionally, I’m an engineer in a highly-technical field. So, my questions tend to be blunt and direct. Guess it’s a good thing I found out about their thin skin now rather than after I paid them money. Perhaps they don’t understand the tightly-knit nature of GA and how personal interactions and word of mouth are very influential. More likely, they don’t care and are focused on the airline crowd.

So my advice, for what it’s worth, is to stay away from Dauntless Aviation.
Click to expand...

Hard to believe a company would tell someone they’re “not a good fit” when the pilot population is already small and plenty of competition. I guess they’re fully committed to the race to the bottom.
 
F
sarangan said:
Hard to believe a company would tell someone they’re “not a good fit” when the pilot population is already small and plenty of competition. I guess they’re fully committed to the race to the bottom.
Click to expand...
Firing customers happens more often than a lot of people realize, and probably still less often than it should.

I’m not going to opine on the OP’s situation, but it’s very common for businesses and customers to disagree on what’s right, and the customer isn’t always right.
 
Another vote for MyFlightBook. As for the other… if they don’t want you as a customer, then it really doesn’t matter why. You don’t want to be their customer.
 
I've been using Dauntless SafeLog for about 8 years now. Haven't had any problems with them. I've look at other logbooks like the Foreflight logbook feature and a couple of others. Had I not already had SafeLog, I'd probably have gone with the Foreflight logbook. But why mess with what works? I like their layout and its all pretty intuitive.

I generally dislike dealing with any "help-desk" types on principle. When it comes to software, personal computers, iPhones, or so-called "smart" tech, If I can't figure it out, google it or find a Youtube video on it, its probably time to find something else.
 
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Jim_R said:
What's different about the iPad version that makes it better than Android or the website version?
Click to expand...
Not sure if there is anything….I just mentioned that I am personally using their iPad version because I own only iPad tablets.
 
Jim_R said:
What's different about the iPad version that makes it better than Android or the website version?
Click to expand...
Nothing.

I think the website may have the most feature capability, but the Android and iOS differences are mostly OS related rather than feature related.

I guess some people just have to display their OS zealotry.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Nothing.

I think the website may have the most feature capability, but the Android and iOS differences are mostly OS related rather than feature related.

I guess some people just have to display their OS zealotry.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is it - “OS zealotry” - just one step removed from “OS bigot” I presume and at a great risk degenerating into an “ OS fascist” ….
 
Warmi said:
Yes, that is it - “OS zealotry” - just one step removed from “OS bigot” I presume and at a great risk degenerating into an “ OS fascist” ….
Click to expand...
I didn’t see your follow up before I posted. So I apologize if it doesn’t apply to you. But yes, “zealotry.” If you haven’t seen people argue about their OS preference as if it were a religion, you haven’t been paying attention.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I didn’t see your follow up before I posted. So I apologize if it doesn’t apply to you. But yes, “zealotry.” If you haven’t seen people argue about their OS preference as if it were a religion, you haven’t been paying attention.
Click to expand...

idle thought: is OS envy the other side of the coin?
 
Jim_R said:
What's different about the iPad version that makes it better than Android or the website version?
Click to expand...
I use it on my iPad, my android phone, and my PC. I don't always take the iPad when I fly, so the default in the field is the smart phone. Then if I want to add details, I update on the PC.
 
gfvalvo said:
Thanks for the responses, all. I did try calling Dauntless’s “don’t you dare call this number for user support” contact number. To their credit, I got a call back (on a Saturday) in about 10 minutes. He was friendly and polite, but the message was still the same … Go F*ck Yourself. He said they didn’t think I was a good fit to be their customer. They didn’t like how I questioned their design philosophy of the trial version that kept me from testing features that I was interested in.

Professionally, I’m an engineer in a highly-technical field. So, my questions tend to be blunt and direct. Guess it’s a good thing I found out about their thin skin now rather than after I paid them money. Perhaps they don’t understand the tightly-knit nature of GA and how personal interactions and word of mouth are very influential. More likely, they don’t care and are focused on the airline crowd.

So my advice, for what it’s worth, is to stay away from Dauntless Aviation.
Click to expand...

I'll need to see how you worded your "simple inquiry" to them in order to value this advice. Did you join here yesterday just to publicly trash them?
 
I used their software for ground school for sport and then private ground school, and now for instrument, on android. I think I talked with them once, about different licensing options, years ago. I like the software, never had any trouble with it. A nice feature is that I can take it with me wherever I go, does not have to be Internet connected to run, and it's not just learn the multiple choice answers, there are references for everything and explanations for nearly all if not all answers.
 
I have not used Dauntless. I have had students that used it for their written test prep programs with no problems. Dauntless was one of the few online courses that actually had Test Preps and courses for Glider ratings.

Are they still worth it for the Test Prep? We have a few students that need to pass their written exam while we are down for the winter, before soaring starts again next spring.
 
BillTIZ said:
Are they still worth it for the Test Prep? We have a few students that need to pass their written exam while we are down for the winter, before soaring starts again next spring.
Click to expand...
I think so. Believe it's around $60 or $70 for a single test version, and at least for Android it doesn't expire. That's less than half an hour of flight w/ instructor.
 
I use Garmin Pilot, but if i didn't i'd prob just keep it in excel.
 
Albany Tom said:
I think so. Believe it's around $60 or $70 for a single test version, and at least for Android it doesn't expire. That's less than half an hour of flight w/ instructor.
Click to expand...
Flight instruction at the local airport is $60 an hour. As an independent instructor, my rate is $50 an hour. You must be including the cost of renting the airplane.
 
Gilbert Buettner said:
Flight instruction at the local airport is $60 an hour. As an independent instructor, my rate is $50 an hour. You must be including the cost of renting the airplane.
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It is hard to have an hour of flight with an instructor without an airplane. ;)
 
midlifeflyer said:
I didn’t see your follow up before I posted. So I apologize if it doesn’t apply to you. But yes, “zealotry.” If you haven’t seen people argue about their OS preference as if it were a religion, you haven’t been paying attention.
Click to expand...
Mere zealotry is chatting over cookies after church compared to a true believer OS jihadi.

GeorgeC,
austere unix scholar
 
gfvalvo said:
Hi all. Been flying GA for decades but just joined here. Hope this is a proper spot to post my question. Up until now, I’ve been a paper logbook Luddite, but have recently started exploring electronic solutions.

I was evaluating the free trial version of Safelog and had an issue. I entered a simple inquiry at the Dauntless Aviation Help Desk. The answer I got back didn’t work for me so I entered a follow up. Then the Help Desk banned me!!! They said I violated “terms of use” or something. This is not conducive to me wanting to purchase their product!!!

But, anyway, my real question is what’s peoples’ opinion of Dauntless Aviation? Reading their statements, FAQ articles, etc, their attitude strikes me as rude, condescending and dismissive. Anyone else notice this?

Thanks.
Greg
Click to expand...
I don’t believe a free trial includes a help desk to train you on how to use the product and I can see why they were not happy with your inquiries - if you have to contact the help desk during a free trial, that is probably a clue that software isn’t for you.
 
SkyChaser said:
It is hard to have an hour of flight with an instructor without an airplane. ;)
Click to expand...
You certainly can avoid the cost of renting if you own an airplane. (Note that I mentioned the cost of renting to arrive at the amounts stated by Albany Tom.) Right now, all of my instruction is in a club airplane or one individually owned, so there's no rental fee.
 
Pepperidge Farms remembers OPs who wanted conversations instead of shouts into the void.
 
Whatever EFB you're using (I use ForeFlight) will probably have a built in Logbook, so you're covered there. And I see people have mentioned most of the external (stand-alone) Logbooks.

Whatever one you pick, BE SURE it has a simple and FREE way to export your data to an Excel spreadsheet, probably in a .CSV format, but that really doesn't matter. If it is in some form that Excel can read, you can save it as anything you want. This will allow you to make your own Backups, separate from whatever Logbook service you're using. I really doubt ForeFlight will suddenly turn off their servers, but you never know. More likely there could be some attack on their servers.

So simple to use and the ability to backup/expert to a common file type is what you're looking for.
 
I will say this. I would never pay for an electronic flight book and myFlightbook is free but I have donated to them. They have an incredible product that is intuitive, simple, feature Rich, and I can use it for both my personal and professional flying.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I would never pay for an electronic flight book
Click to expand...
What if your wife designed an electronic flight book and decided you should use it, but that you shouldn’t be swayed by her giving it to you for free instead of buying it for fear that your objectiveness as an aviation influencer might be sullied?

Never is a long time. ;)
 
MauleSkinner said:
What if your wife designed an electronic flight book and decided you should use it, but that you shouldn’t be swayed by her giving it to you for free instead of buying it for fear that your objectiveness as an aviation influencer might be sullied?

Never is a long time. ;)
Click to expand...
Given that she's not a pilot I might pay for whatever she creates just to see what it is
 
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