Digital Maintenance Logbooks

[viator092]

Pros? Cons?

For those that use them what software do you recommend?

Seems the ability to scan in current paper logs would be a must. Ability to track intervals.

[MPerkins]

BlueTail has an owner/operator logbook for $60/month, stores everything on the cloud. Same as PlaneLogix at $50/month. I don't know of any system that resides on your own computer and that doesn't use the cloud for storage. With cloud storage, I imagine being locked out of my logs for any number of technical or business reasons. Or even someday getting weary of monthly fees and then trying get my logs out of their system and back to paper again.

So, I am using a hybrid system: an Excel spreadsheet for "what/when/where" information and traditional paper logbooks just for the sign-offs. The spreadsheet is similar to what I used for my builder's logs. I know it's a hybrid system, but signature sign-offs are few and far between compared to all the maintenance details, which I keep in the spreadsheet. Intervals are easy to track with a spreadsheet with a little more effort. I can also drop in photos and documents. As far as backups, everything on my PC is backed-up anyway (on SD cards, not the cloud).

Long story short, even with some of the shortcomings of a hybrid system, I prefer not paying $50-60/month and also prefer not relying upon third-parties.