Overview

Aircraft maintenance records, often referred to as logbooks, contain the complete maintenance history of an aircraft. Their purpose is to document that the aircraft meets its approved type design and is in a condition for safe operation. They both back-up and support the Airworthiness requirement the aircraft needs to be able to fly, and document the aircraft’s maintenance activities over its lifetime.

Logbooks have a tremendous impact on an aircraft’s value because they contain important information about the history of the aircraft.

You would think that today’s high-tech, sophisticated aircraft would have high-tech, sophisticated records knowing that the maintenance history of an aircraft is almost as important and valuable as the aircraft itself.

But when looking at even a modern aircraft’s record, we find a common trend: aircraft logbooks are typically unorganized, frequently inaccurate, and regularly lack critical information vital to the aircraft’s airworthiness or value.

Objective

The objective of this course is to better understand aircraft records and recordkeeping; their purpose; the consequences of improper record keeping for aircraft owners; what happens when the data in the record is insufficient, or one or more records are missing from the logbook; or even when critical information is lost altogether or not recorded properly to begin with.

The course goes into an in-depth study of what is important to keep in the aircraft logbook. What should be in the logbook as opposed to being part of the permanent maintenance record; where in the logbook the information should be kept; and how to properly organize and administer information contained in both the aircraft’s logbooks and the permanent aircraft record.

 Applicability

This course will benefit A&P Technicians and Students, Repair Station Technicians, Repairmen, and anyone needing a better understanding of aircraft records or are contemplating working with aircraft records in the future.

Bruce Spaulding

Bruce is a twenty-year veteran of the US Armed Forces where he worked on various military and civilian aircraft, eventually earning his Airframe and Powerplant License. Upon retiring from the military, Bruce began instructing at a well-known Aviation School teaching various courses on aircraft documentation, records management, and logbook discipline. While working in the US Military, and even after-words as an A&P Instructor, Bruce continues to consult with various Part 91, 125 and 135 Operators on the proper management and administration of aircraft records and documentation. With a drive to teach both beginning and seasoned aircraft maintenance professionals in the care and handling of the important documents we use every day in business aviation, Bruce joined The Foundation for Business Aircraft Records Excellence as its primary Instructor for BAR’s Educational Courses on Business Aircraft Documentation and Recordkeeping.