Electronic aircraft logs
- Thread starter FORANE
- Start date
midlifeflyer
Touchdown! Greaser!
We are not, but based on conversations with a mechanic or two, you might find some industry resistance in the light GA world. The same type you can still see to electronic pilot logs, although I'd place the attitude to maintenance logs to the way it was about flight logs 5 years ago.
That's without even considering acceptability to a future buyer.
That's without even considering acceptability to a future buyer.
While I can’t speak for all mechanics, the majority of the ones I’ve dealt with have no issues with electronic maintenance records as they’ve been around for years at all levels. Its mainly the method of how those records would be created that gives the most pause.
And especially at the private GA level as most owners don’t want to spend the money on a system that protects the integrity of the mx entry and signature. For example, a system that meets the guidance in AC120-78.
Personally, I’d love to see electronic mx records at all levels as it would/could make life a lot easier especially if you could reduce 4 large boxes of records to one flash-drive and use a search function to research those records.
It works well if done per existing guidance. However, even at the Part 135 level not all operators use them for various reasons or require duplicate entries, one electronically signed and one ink-signed on paper for certain records.
However, as mentioned above one issue is when you go to sell the aircraft and are required to transfer certain aircraft maintenance records. Per 91.419 it falls to the buyer whether they will accept an electronic record or require a paper record which you would have to produce to meet those rules.
Its this reason I still recommend keeping those 91.417/419 records in paper form.
RussR
En-Route
The main difference between pilot logbooks and aircraft logbooks, of course, is that aircraft logbooks transfer to a new person upon sale of the aircraft. The second main difference is that entries in pilot logbooks are generally made by one person, i.e. you, with occasional others (a CFI), but even that is often done with you physically there.
Those fundamental differences are the key, though. Physical aircraft logbooks are really easy to transfer upon sale - you place them on the back seat, done. Electronic logbooks would have to have a login/permissions issue, maybe the new owner prefers a different software package so it would have to be converted, and of course the new owner would have to want to use electronic logbooks in the first place.
And as for making entries, the mechanic would have to be on board with whatever system you want to use. Change mechanics, maybe they use a different electronic system. Get your alternator replaced at a distant airport while on a trip, that mechanic would have to be up to speed with your logbook system. And if they're not, and give you a sticker for your logbook, what do you do?
None of these issues are unsolvable, of course. But especially for light GA, there's a whole lot of inertia in the aviation maintenance world, and paper logbooks are probably just seen as far easier for the vast majority of day-to-day maintenance interactions.
In the corporate or 135 world, of course, it's likely a different story.
Those fundamental differences are the key, though. Physical aircraft logbooks are really easy to transfer upon sale - you place them on the back seat, done. Electronic logbooks would have to have a login/permissions issue, maybe the new owner prefers a different software package so it would have to be converted, and of course the new owner would have to want to use electronic logbooks in the first place.
And as for making entries, the mechanic would have to be on board with whatever system you want to use. Change mechanics, maybe they use a different electronic system. Get your alternator replaced at a distant airport while on a trip, that mechanic would have to be up to speed with your logbook system. And if they're not, and give you a sticker for your logbook, what do you do?
None of these issues are unsolvable, of course. But especially for light GA, there's a whole lot of inertia in the aviation maintenance world, and paper logbooks are probably just seen as far easier for the vast majority of day-to-day maintenance interactions.
In the corporate or 135 world, of course, it's likely a different story.