Consider that between 30 and 50 percent of the value of older aircraft lies in the aircraft’s technical and journey logs. It’s not just about paper signoffs to keep the aircraft airworthy. Think about all of the time- and date-sensitive components and service events that are documented in the logs.
If the logs are lost, stolen or destroyed, someone will have to pay for replacement parts and inspections already accomplished. And when it’s time to sell, the value of the logbooks rightfully rises to the surface. While the popularity of digital pilot logs is increasing, virtual maintenance records have been slow to evolve. But I found a few good options worth considering, even for supplementing paper logs.