Looking for Ideas on How Others Track Maintenance Requirements

[hobbit64]

I am looking to pick the 'Hive Mind' for ideas on how y'all are tracking maintenance requirements, i.e. Oil, Prop, Fuel Injector Fuel Lines, inspection / maintenance intervals etc.

What are the masses using to track the calendar and flight time intervals?  Spreadsheets, Apps, Google calendars? I am up for all ideas.

My formative years were spent in a large part 141 school and flying Uncle Sam's green whirly birds where I always had a good maintenance tracking system in place.

My first thought is the ubiquitous dry erase board but I think a nice spread sheet in the flight time log me and my partner use would be more applicable. We might go several months and not see each other as our schedules are pretty much opposite.  I am worried that we'll possibly miss something and would like to see how the rest of the pack is capturing this data

Thanks in advance

Matt

Edited October 19, 2022 by hobbit64

[elimansour]

Check out Crewchief - (crewchiefga.com).  They are on par with the computerized maintenance tracking found with turboprops and jets and have brought the same utility to piston aircraft.  I am very happy with the service and all my logs have been scanned and analyzed.

[MikeOH]

For my F, the dry erase board is perfect.  I find no reason to search for a complicated solution to a non-existent problem.

[carusoam]

There was a discussion on this topic a long ways back…

Tracking the details takes more effort to get an automated response… then looking them all up manually every now and then…

Some people use an app…

Some have their mechanic do it at annual…

Others have a computer system at work… and their plane is just one more being looked after…

Savvy would be the place that handles this type of preventive maintenance/record keeping thing really well…

See if @kortopates Paul has any input and ideas of how he handles this…

Best regards,

-a-

[EricJ]

Spreadsheets for me, but I'm an engineer, anyway, so it's an easy go-to solution.    I have one for overall maintenance that tracks all time-sensitive components, e.g., engine, prop, governor, ELT, batteries, etc., etc.    I have a separate spreadsheet just for oil changes.   I keep thinking I need one for me, too, to track BFR, medical, etc., but so far I've gotten away without it.

 

[Skates97]

6 minutes ago, EricJ said:

Spreadsheets for me, but I'm an engineer, anyway, so it's an easy go-to solution.    I have one for overall maintenance that tracks all time-sensitive components, e.g., engine, prop, governor, ELT, batteries, etc., etc.    I have a separate spreadsheet just for oil changes.   I keep thinking I need one for me, too, to track BFR, medical, etc., but so far I've gotten away without it.

 

I use an Excel spreadsheet for all the maintenance as well. For my personal (BFR, medical, IFR currency, night currency, etc) I use http://www.myflightbook.com, it is not just a free logbook but also keeps track of currency. You can add pictures and notes to flights. You can also print off an 8710 for as well. 

[DXB]

@hobbit64 My self made excel spreadsheet is crude but highly functional - I have one section for the pilot and one for the plane.  I include part numbers last replaced, next due etc.  It's attached here in case anyone wants to use as a template.  I couldn't upload excel format but can PM if desired.

Maintenance log.pdf

[TheAv8r]

+1 for a spreadsheet. I created a Google Sheet so I can access it from anywhere. One page is tracking things, Required MX (AD compliance, annual, aircraft registration, pitot static checks, oil changes etc.) and Optional/Accessory MX (SBs, gear discs, etc.). I set up a bunch of formulas so I can choose whether they track by time based (tracked in months) or hour based (tracked in hours per tach time). You put in the last date and tach time the item was done and the formulas do the rest to tell you when it's next due, colour coded by if compliant, coming up within 1 month or 10hrs or out of compliance. Then I have subsheets in that file for squawks, MX record, also one for Aircraft Equipment where anytime I replace something or dig into the logs to find a part number, I put it on the sheet along with the last time it was replaced and any notes on the frequency of replacement. 

Example: The beacon on my bird has been replaced on average every 5yrs per the logs. The one on there now is 6yrs old. Once I realized that, I immediately bought a new beacon, knowing it could go out any minute. Another example, I had to hunt everywhere to try and find the P/Ns for the o-ring gaskets for the fuel selector. Finally found them, so made a note of them in the sheet. 

[The Other Red Baron]

For just one pilot an Excel spreadsheet will do the job just fine, but if you really want to spend money and have a shiny app and stuff we use Coflyt. 

[cliffy]

Go look at ADlog          adlog.com

Tracks everything and notifies you of new ADs to boot.

[jaylw314]

I made some spreadsheets using Google Sheets.  That way I can update them from anywhere, and my shop can peruse them from any browser

[midlifeflyer]

On 10/18/2022 at 11:34 PM, EricJ said:

Spreadsheets for me, but I'm an engineer, anyway, so it's an easy go-to solution.    I have one for overall maintenance that tracks all time-sensitive components, e.g., engine, prop, governor, ELT, batteries, etc., etc.    I have a separate spreadsheet just for oil changes.   I keep thinking I need one for me, too, to track BFR, medical, etc., but so far I've gotten away without it.

 

Not an engineer but I've tracked maintenance with spreadsheet for small group airplanes. And I've been doing a digital personal logbook since DOS (database rather than spreadsheet). Switched to an online logbook 16 years ago. 

[Pinecone]

Right now, I am using a simple spreadsheet that lists all major component serial numbers.  Inspections/services done and due.

Also expenses.  

I am interested in a product that sends me reminders, so I don't have to check the spreadsheet every time.  But may just go to a sheet for the airplane with reminders.   CAP does this. Their maintenance module prints out a cover sheet with hours and date of last service/inspection and hours/dates due.

For logging and currency, I use SafeLog Pro.  I used AeroLog Pro for many years, but it is marginally supported now.  SafeLog was able to convert my AeroLog data file so I did not have to re-enter everything.   So far, I am very happy with it.  It syncs the data to the cloud as well as to each device.  So I have the data on 2x PC, 2x iPads, my phone, a laptop, and the cloud.  I think it is pretty safe.

 

[Jim Peace]

I made an excel spreadsheet for all the stuff that needs to be tracked.  I created the formulas and all I do for most of it is just input the tach time or date that mx was completed and it propagates to all the proper fields.  Took a while to set up for my 64C but it was worth it....

I would attach it here but MS does not allow the excel extension...

 

[redcatcher27]

15 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

I made an excel spreadsheet for all the stuff that needs to be tracked.  I created the formulas and all I do for most of it is just input the tach time or date that mx was completed and it propagates to all the proper fields.  Took a while to set up for my 64C but it was worth it....

I would attach it here but MS does not allow the excel extension...

 

I'm pretty sure that you can download it onto mooneyspace and then reference it in your post. I also use an excel spreadsheet where I track virtually everything with my plane, maintenance, ordered parts, expendables, and (sadly), costs.

I will attempt to sanitize it and post it in the mooneyspace/downloads/STC section since there doesn't seem to be any other categories that fit. 

 

 

[Marc_B]

http://themooneyflyer.com/Excel/AircraftStatusSheet.xlsx

https://themooneyflyer.com/pdf/ACstatusINSTRUCT.pdf
I use a modified version from the Mooney Flyer. Great list of most stuff with hrs and days to next. Also has color coded boxes to help see something coming up. 

[rbp]

On 10/18/2022 at 10:53 PM, elimansour said:

Check out Crewchief - (crewchiefga.com).  They are on par with the computerized maintenance tracking found with turboprops and jets and have brought the same utility to piston aircraft.  I am very happy with the service and all my logs have been scanned and analyzed.

here's the info link https://www.crewchiefsystems.com/digital-products/for-pilots

[Pinecone]

Has any had more than one of the commercial systems to compare?  CrewChief, AD Log, PlaneLogix?

[rbp]

I'm testing coflyt right now ($140/yr). I've spent some time in it, and I think its worthwhile looking at, but it has far fewer useful features than PlaneLogix or CrewChief (both of which are $500/yr)

[MMsuper21]

Spreadsheet does the trick. I also use it to keep track of age and hours of components.

Helps when trouble shooting too. Most likely things causing the issues.