Digital aircraft logs and records

[JamesMooney]

Curious who has experience using digital logs for your aircraft - both for backing up the paper records, but also for managing maintenance events, squawks, etc.

What tool / app do you use? Any feedback on it?

For example: https://planelogix.com/

[aggiepilot04]

I started building an app/website for this 7 or 8 years ago and just got derailed with life.  I don't use anything for this today, but I also don't think I'd be willing to pay more than a few bucks per month on it.  Just glancing at it, the free plan from planelogix doesn't provide the feature set that would justify the effort of uploading and correcting logbook entries where OCR doesn't work...and I don't think $25+ per month is worth it.

Definitely curious to hear what folks are using though and whether or not mechanics are onboard for electronic entries/signatures.  Maybe there are better options these days that I'm unaware of.

[donkaye, MCFI]

While I don't keep electronic logs per se (other than scanning the pages), I do keep a record of all major items done to the plane since I bought it 28  years ago.  I've attached that Excel File in case anyone wants to do something similar.  It works quite well for me.

Mooney ATA Report for N9148W.xls

[GeeBee]

The problem with electronic logs is if you sell, the next buyer and all subsequent has to use the application. In commercial aviation there are some ubiquitous formats, in GA there is not. I scan all my logs into PDF format, so I have a backup image of them, but the official logs are pen and paper. Easier to transfer to a new owner. Like donkaye, I keep an Excell spread sheet of all ADs, SBs, and required recurring events.

[201Mooniac]

I use planelogix.  The process was easy but not cheap.  I find it most useful as a backup of my aircraft records (they produce a beautiful logbook that they update yearly).  Second it is very helpful as it is searchable.  I haven't found it useful for maintenance scheduling but I haven't really tried yet.

[201Mooniac]

11 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

The problem with electronic logs is if you sell, the next buyer and all subsequent has to use the application. In commercial aviation there are some ubiquitous formats, in GA there is not. I scan all my logs into PDF format, so I have a backup image of them, but the official logs are pen and paper. Easier to transfer to a new owner. Like donkaye, I keep an Excell spread sheet of all ADs, SBs, and required recurring events.

If you sell the new owner can take over the account but also can just export a PDF of all the logs.  Even with Planelogix, I still keep all my paper records up to date.

[jaylw314]

I do keep a formatted scan of my maintenance logs on Google Drive.  That way I can just send the link to any mechanic as needed, since it's widely accessible.  I thought about a more structured format or a commercial e-record type of thing, but I worried about accessibility (and Google Drive is free).

[201Mooniac]

Accessiblity from Planelogix isn't a problem, you can invite someone to have either read or read/write access and sign-off capability for entries.  I haven't used this capability though as my A&P/IA isn't really interested in this new fangled high tech stuff

[aggiepilot04]

1 hour ago, jaylw314 said:

I do keep a formatted scan of my maintenance logs on Google Drive.  That way I can just send the link to any mechanic as needed, since it's widely accessible.  I thought about a more structured format or a commercial e-record type of thing, but I worried about accessibility (and Google Drive is free).

I also keep photos of my logbook entries in Google drive.  The good thing about using Google drive is that you get OCR for free, so your logbook entries are searchable.

[EricJ]

I keep the regular paper logs, but also a spreadsheet that has serial numbers and intallation tach/date for various accessories, TSMOH, etc., etc.   I also track battery dates (e.g., ELT), and anything else with a time or hour limitation.   This is good for anticipating/planning 500 hour mag checks and such.

I have a separate spreadsheet where I track only oil consumption and changes.

So for me it's easy to just use spreadsheets as supplements to the paper logs.

 

[jaylw314]

3 hours ago, aggiepilot04 said:

I also keep photos of my logbook entries in Google drive.  The good thing about using Google drive is that you get OCR for free, so your logbook entries are searchable.

Yeah, what I actually do is scan the log book, cut and blow up all the little tiny stickers the shops use, and paste them into a document file sequentially so the fill up the width of the page.  That way you can actually READ the suckers!   My IA appreciates the easier to read format (even though he's guilty of using the damn stickers!)