To shred or not to shred

[HPNFlyGirl]

Do you guys shred your old invoices from the airport or do you hang on to them? Just curious. Or should I put them in a notebook and see how much I have spent during my training? If you do shred them how long do you hold on to them?

 

[cherokeeflyboy]

Do you guys shred your old invoices from the airport or do you hang on to them? Just curious. Or should I put them in a notebook and see how much I have spent during my training? If you do shred them how long do you hold on to them?

Brook,
Hold on to them. If, god forbid , you lose you log book, it is one way to help recompile it.

 

[HPNFlyGirl]

Great idea thank you KD.

 

[Lawreston]

Speaking of shredding, in the process of "cleaning house"(garage loft, actually) I just shredded bank statements from my former camera store. From May of 1977 to the present(checking acct. still open for my home business[hobby, ya know] ). There was also one case of 3000 QuickBooks pin-feed unused checks that, while the shredder was cranking, I went upstairs and took a shower. When project completed I had 13 garbage bags of "confetti." I'm glad that job is done.

HR

 

[JRitt]

My wife loves to shread docs. I even have a 4" metal chute to load them into the fireplace . Its the best free firestarter around.

 

[ScottM]

I shread 'em. I also shread all my bills (after I pay them), canceled checks, junk mail credit card offers, anything personal I don't want anymore, and a host of other things. Just call me cautious but I came from a background where we shreaded everything so it is now ingrained.

 

[Dart]

Brook,
Hold on to them. If, god forbid , you lose you log book, it is one way to help recompile it.

A photocopy (or more) of the logbook, kept at a separate location (locations) is a much better and easier way to reconstruct a logbook. I have one at work, everytime it changes I make a new last page. The copy will show very important detail such as CFI names, signatures, and certificate numbers, endorsements, BFR's, airports, instrument time etc, etc., that you wont get from an invoice.

If you are a professional pilot and want more assurance that the FAA will accept your reconstruction, you can have the copy certified by a notary and keep that copy in a safe deposit box. Or, keep the original in a safe deposit box and fly the copy, only bring out the original to update it or when you will be recieving an endorsement of some kind.

Save the invoices if you are a pack rat, otherwise it's just clutter.

 

[Len Lanetti]

You've not shredded documents until you've done it the top secret military way...think industrial strength corn grinder with a fire hose connected to hose down the shreds...makes a nice unclassified pulp. Of course, before we started using the shredder we would burn all the documents, that is until the incinerator burned down.

As to flight school and FBO receipts...doesn't everyone just stuff them in their flight bag where they stay until you clean out said flight bag looking for stuff you need for the biannual flight review!!!??? :<)

Len

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

A photocopy (or more) of the logbook, kept at a separate location (locations) is a much better and easier way to reconstruct a logbook. I have one at work, everytime it changes I make a new last page. The copy will show very important detail such as CFI names, signatures, and certificate numbers, endorsements, BFR's, airports, instrument time etc, etc., that you wont get from an invoice.

If you are a professional pilot and want more assurance that the FAA will accept your reconstruction, you can have the copy certified by a notary and keep that copy in a safe deposit box. Or, keep the original in a safe deposit box and fly the copy, only bring out the original to update it or when you will be recieving an endorsement of some kind.

Save the invoices if you are a pack rat, otherwise it's just clutter.

Ditto duplicating and separating logbooks but in addition invoices (never depend on the FBO for records years after the fact) can lend credibility under intense scrutiny to logbook entries which after all, are mostly hearsay.

 

[Everskyward]

in addition invoices (never depend on the FBO for records years after the fact) can lend credibility under intense scrutiny to logbook entries which after all, are mostly hearsay.

So here's a question. How many people have had their logbooks scrutinized to the point that they needed to provide proof that certain entries were true? Anyone who has ever looked at my logbook has just riffled through the pages in a bored manner. This has included examiners and potential employers.

 

[Dart]

Ditto duplicating and separating logbooks but in addition invoices (never depend on the FBO for records years after the fact) can lend credibility under intense scrutiny to logbook entries which after all, are mostly hearsay.

Granted an invoice can certainly bolster a photocopy entry. But, an invoice is not proof of anything other than that an airplane was rented, it's engine was run, and sometimes a CFI was hired.

The real value of a logbook copy is that you have the CFI and airman examiner certificate numbers to identify who signed your endorsements, reviews, etc. It is that connection to an identified individual that removes the "hearsay" element. You don't have to reconstruct HOW you became a certificated PPSEL, only that you recievied it.

Having the certificate or rating is prima faci evidence that you had at least met the minimum hours in category and class, and that you could fly the craft to required performance standards. A thousand hours of aircraft rental invoices will not prove you met a single performance standard.

 

[cherokeeflyboy]

So here's a question. How many people have had their logbooks scrutinized to the point that they needed to provide proof that certain entries were true? Anyone who has ever looked at my logbook has just riffled through the pages in a bored manner. This has included examiners and potential employers.

That might be true for a log book that has not been misplaced.
I dont think its a matter of proof, just one tool to help refresh you memory. I cannot list each flight where/what/duration/date by memory.
your log book is an affidavit, and is accepted as fact unless it can be proved otherwise.
I have never been struck by lightning but that does not mean i dont take precautions when the potential to be struck is present.
Better safe than sorry in my book.
I now keep scanned copy of each page on my computer, Hard copy is in the safe. A house fire convinced me to do this. I was not fortunate enough to have had a great place like POA to gather such info at that time..Luckily, my log book survived the fire, (I was days away from checkride) I was panic stricken when I realized it could be gone.