Who's got your logs?

Tom-D

Tom-D

Taxi to Parking
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Tom-D
How difficult will it be to locate your pilot/maintenance records if you were not around?
 
For my personal plane and my full (non company) pilot log


Mine are in a locked file cabinet at home, in my locked office, they are also backed up in the cloud, with my first pilot log and my current electronic excel sheet pilot log.


I do not volunteer or give my logs to ANYONE, I'll copy everything to a thumb drive and get a sticker for my logs after annual and any needed snags from my APIA, outside from that need to know basis.


Without my consent, shy of breaking into my home, my office and prying a cabinet open, and thats presuming you don't get shot or bit by dogs, or finding hacking the cloud with my random user name and rather complex password, I'd imagine it would be quite difficult to access my logs, as it should be.
 
Mechanic keeps my aircraft logs. Pilot logs? Don't know. I look for it every two years and have always found it. I suspect I'll find it for the next BFR, too.
 
Paper logs in the safe. I have PDF's of all other logs. Whenever I do maintenance I always ask the shop in advance if PDF logs are ok. They don't really seem to like it - but I've never had anyone not accept them.

Someone told me (and possibly here at POA) that they want the paper logs to hold hostage in case you don't pay your bill but I am honestly not sure...
 
EminiTrader said:
Paper logs in the safe. I have PDF's of all other logs. Whenever I do maintenance I always ask the shop in advance if PDF logs are ok. They don't really seem to like it - but I've never had anyone not accept them.

Someone told me (and possibly here at POA) that they want the paper logs to hold hostage in case you don't pay your bill but I am honestly not sure...
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This is why I do what I do.

I had someone do unauthroized work on my plane, then hold my logs hostage, MAJOR PITA, I won't let anyone touch them anymore.
 
If you crash, do you want the authorities and insurance company to have your logs?
 
I can see keeping them safe from being lost or backed up but you guys sound like you're afraid somebody's going to steal them. Why would anyone have any interest in your logbooks? :dunno:
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
If you crash, do you want the authorities and insurance company to have your logs?
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Under the federal law NTSB can go get them when investigating the accident, no matter where they are or who has them. they will go after the originals.
 
Silvaire said:
I can see keeping them safe from being lost or backed up but you guys sound like you're afraid somebody's going to steal them. Why would anyone have any interest in your logbooks? :dunno:
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NTSB has reasons
 
Tom-D said:
Under the federal law NTSB can go get them when investigating the accident, no matter where they are or who has them. they will go after the originals.
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We are well aware, but that does not answer my Q.

How often does it happen that a pilot is exonerated after the logs were reviewed?
How often does an insurance company say, "we are satisfied with the logs and will pay the claim now".

I would think logs are much more likely to result in Bad News.
And we all know every log book out there has some error.
If I am gone, I say keep em' hidden til they prise them out of your clutches.
 
Silvaire said:
I can see keeping them safe from being lost or backed up but you guys sound like you're afraid somebody's going to steal them. Why would anyone have any interest in your logbooks? :dunno:
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In my situation is was to try to hold them hostage to get me to pay (and thus authorize after the fact) "repairs" which were not needed or authorized.




Tom-D said:
Under the federal law NTSB can go get them when investigating the accident, no matter where they are or who has them. they will go after the originals.
Click to expand...

Easier said than done.


It seems like if, god forbid, you die in a crash and arnt around to defend yourself, the NTSB and insurance default to tossing the ill fated pilot under the bus. Not sure if it's just the easier way out for them or what.

Of course learning what causes these fatals is very important and the NTSB should be able to find the root cause, just after that cell phone BS case the NTSB did, I've lost a little faith.


On a personal note, mine are only under lock and key only to prevent theft and shady repair shops and the like from gaining possession of them.
 
My mechanic gets them for annual, but otherwise I hold on to them and they sit with my files. He gives me stickers for anything in between.
 
Aircraft logs are in the hangar with the aircraft. My own logbook is somewhere, though its also backed up on every computer I own.
 
Pretty simple.

I have all of my logs...plane and personal. I have scanned copies of both aircraft I previously owned up until the time I sold them.
 
my logs are neatly stacked in the back wood shed....but, good luck finding them. :D
 
Right now the aircraft logs are either in the shop office or a filing cabinet in my hangar.

I suspect that my wife might be able to find my pilot logs but I doubt anybody else would (I'm not even sure myself where my older ones are. I think they're in the bottom drawer of the desk, but I've not looked for them in a while).
 
mine are in cardboard boxes on a shelf in the hangar. The boxes have written in black marker "Beechcraft logs", "Piper Logs", etc. I'd guess a highly trained government investigator may be able to locate them with some effort.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
my logs are neatly stacked in the back wood shed....but, good luck finding them. :D
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Blammo! has your Log!

 
Well I was thinking the original question was about if you suddenly checked out would your wife or heirs be able to locate them for the purpose of selling the airplane that you no longer need? In my case actually, now that I think about it, there might be some difficulty with that.

I do however have a USB thumb drive in the fire safe with copies of all important documents accounts and such. I think I will add the logbooks to that as well.

Just in case...:dunno:
 
James331 said:
In my situation is was to try to hold them hostage to get me to pay (and thus authorize after the fact) "repairs" which were not needed or authorized.

How do you insure the mechanic makes the proper entries, besides the NTSB has no payment due.

Easier said than done.

Not really,


It seems like if, god forbid, you die in a crash and arnt around to defend yourself, the NTSB and insurance default to tossing the ill fated pilot under the bus. Not sure if it's just the easier way out for them or what.

That's not how the investigation works, the NTSB will have a member of the FAA, Engine manufacturer, and the aircraft manufacturer there when the wreckage is examined.

Of course learning what causes these fatals is very important and the NTSB should be able to find the root cause, just after that cell phone BS case the NTSB did, I've lost a little faith.

Finding the logs is a part of that.

On a personal note, mine are only under lock and key only to prevent theft and shady repair shops and the like from gaining possession of them.
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Seems like a very negative attitude toward the guys repairing your aircraft. Why would you take your aircraft to facilities that you don't trust?

OBTW the NTSB will give you a evidence custody form saying they have the logs and why, with the time, date, and the address of who they will return them too.
 
Silvaire said:
Well I was thinking the original question was about if you suddenly checked out would your wife or heirs be able to locate them for the purpose of selling the airplane that you no longer need? In my case actually, now that I think about it, there might be some difficulty with that.

I do however have a USB thumb drive in the fire safe with copies of all important documents accounts and such. I think I will add the logbooks to that as well.

Just in case...:dunno:
Click to expand...

Why not simply keep the aircraft records in a safe at home where your wife knows where they are?

But in my resent case the Wife was indisposed too. I was called and asked If I knew where the logs were located.

In my case my aircraft records and other important papers are in my safe at home and one of my kids knows the combination, and the location of the safe's keys.
 
Original paper, locked in the safe deposit box. Shop has CD, one CD in hangar with the maintenance manuals, another CD at home. Cousin has 2nd key to safe deposit box and is executor if something should happen. Come to think of it, another CD may be in the plastic folder I keep in the plane along with the W&B, the ratty but legal AFM, and CD copy of the maint manuals, etc. but I don't remember.
 
I have one drawer in a file cabinet at home with my logs/plane/avaition stuff in it. In the drawer is a fire proof safe with logs, insurance info, etc.
 
My logs are 4 stories underground in a 10-foot-thick titanium vault, guarded 24 hours a day in Zurich, Switzerland.

...or maybe just in a backpack and zipper folder in a fire safe in the closet of my home office.
 
They aren't with the plane, I learn that from Airplane Repo reality show.
 
Heck... I am single...
So, If I die, let them earn their keep and find them.....:rolleyes:;)
 
Mechanic has my latest aircraft, engine, prop and avionics logs - older ones are in the fireproof safe at home. Pilot logbook is in my flight bag. My insurance company receives my total times each year for "if I'm not around" purposes.
 
On the hallway floor where I dropped the case. They did live at the airport for the last year. They were in the FBO office.
 
No logbook means they can't go after your record. Logbook was in the plane and there was a fire.

We all know they will go through the logbook with a fine tooth comb looking for any reason to, as they say, pin the pilot.
 
GLMS_NC said:
No logbook means they can't go after your record. Logbook was in the plane and there was a fire.

We all know they will go through the logbook with a fine tooth comb looking for any reason to, as they say, pin the pilot.
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Not true.

what the insurance company wants to know is, if the aircraft was in annual and considered airworthy.
BTDT once. I simply e-mailed them the pages. they were happy with that.

The NTSB will look a litter closer, But the FAA will screen the logs for errors in the return to service entries.

When the A&P is the cause of the accident, they will be contacted by the FAA first.
 
teejayevans said:
They aren't with the plane, I learn that from Airplane Repo reality show.
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When you get your aircraft re-poed, the court will be involved, and you will be getting the court order to send the logs to______, or be held in contempt of court.

So why not give them to the ferry pilot?

TV shows are void of what really happens.
 
Tom-D said:
When you get your aircraft re-poed, the court will be involved, and you will be getting the court order to send the logs to______, or be held in contempt of court.

So why not give them to the ferry pilot?

TV shows are void of what really happens.
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I recently posted a thread on a local Cirrus that was part of a heated divorce..

Husband claimed the logs were lost.. And the pink slip went missing from the plane:rolleyes::rolleyes:...

The court did NOT make his produce either item..... Planes value is toast now....:redface:
 
N801BH said:
I recently posted a thread on a local Cirrus that was part of a heated divorce..

Husband claimed the logs were lost.. And the pink slip went missing from the plane:rolleyes::rolleyes:...

The court did NOT make his produce either item..... Planes value is toast now....:redface:
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And when she shows the judge the logs, stand the F--- by.

Or when she proves he destroyed them, the FAA will want to talk to him.
 
The worst case I have encountered in bad A/C paper work was the last owner was dead, with no will or executor, no one who could sign the bill of sale.

I had the check filled out, but when I found that out, I simply walked away. It would have taken a life time to get the judge to appoint a person to transfers the title.
 
James331 said:
Without my consent, shy of breaking into my home, my office and prying a cabinet open, and thats presuming you don't get shot or bit by dogs, or finding hacking the cloud with my random user name and rather complex password, I'd imagine it would be quite difficult to access my logs, as it should be.
Click to expand...


Wow. Your dogs can shoot? I'd like to see that. Handguns or long guns? :D


Jim R
Collierville, TN

N7155H--1946 Piper J-3 Cub
N3368K--1946 Globe GC-1B Swift
N4WJ--1994 Van's RV-4
 
I have two shelves in my wives home (office), maintenance and IPB's one shelf, logbooks on the second shelf.

One drawer in the filing cabinet is for all receipts, FAA, airport, installation and operation of radios, transponder, GPS....

Never thought about a fire, and have never copied logs. I think it will be on my list to do this winter when I can't fly. I must say I am not excited about scanning 41 years worth of logs for the plane and 20 years for my private log.

How fire proof are the safes? A they fire proof or are they FIRE PROOF!!!!!!
 
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AKBill said:
I have two shelves in my wives home (office), maintenance and IPB's one shelf, logbooks on the second shelf.

One drawer in the filing cabinet is for all receipts, FAA, airport, installation and operation of radios, transponder, GPS....

Never thought about a fire, and have never copied logs. I think it will be on my list to do this winter when I can't fly. I must say I am not excited about scanning 41 years worth of logs for the plane and 20 years for my private log.

How fire proof are the safes? A they fire proof or are they FIRE PROOF!!!!!!
Click to expand...


I think they are rated to how many hours they can withstand, or something like that.

I'd scan em' and upload them, best bet.
 
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