If you've ever spent hours flipping through decades of handwritten aircraft logbooks trying to find a specific AD compliance entry, you know the frustration. Whether you're preparing for an annual inspection, conducting a pre-purchase evaluation, or simply trying to understand your aircraft's maintenance history, traditional logbook management is time-consuming, error-prone, and often incomplete.
That's why we built PlaneDNA—a platform designed to digitize aircraft logbooks and make your aircraft's complete maintenance history instantly searchable and actionable.
The Problem with Traditional Aircraft Logbook Management
Every aircraft owner knows that logbooks are the aircraft's resume. They document everything from routine oil changes to major overhaul work, airworthiness directive compliance, and damage history. But here's the challenge:
Logbooks aren't searchable. You might have scanned PDFs sitting in your cloud storage, but finding that one annual inspection from five years ago means scrolling through hundreds of pages of entries.
AD compliance tracking is manual. Cross-referencing your logbooks against the FAA's Airworthiness Directive database means hours of research, and you still might miss an Airworthiness Directive due to the cumbersome manual searching.
Damage history isn't always obvious. A gear-up landing might be clearly documented, but what about that "replaced damaged flap" entry? Without reading every single logbook page, critical history can slip through the cracks.
For aircraft buyers, this problem is even more acute. Pre-purchase inspections rely heavily on logbook review, but most buyers don't have the time or expertise to thoroughly analyze decades of maintenance records before making a six-figure decision.
How PlaneDNA Solves Aircraft Logbook Management
PlaneDNA uses advanced OCR (optical character recognition) and machine learning to transform your physical or scanned logbooks into structured, searchable data. Here's what makes our platform different:
Intelligent Document Processing
Upload your logbook entries in any format—handwritten pages photographed on your phone, printed computer entries, or existing PDF scans. Our system handles multiple image formats and PDF files, automatically extracting critical information including:
- Date of service
- Aircraft total time (AFTT)
- Engine total time (ETT)
- Propeller total time (PTT)
- Time since major overhaul (TSMOH)
- Description of work performed
- Mechanic signatures and certificate numbers
The platform recognizes both handwritten and typed entries, saving you from manual data entry.
Automated Airworthiness Directive Tracking
This is where PlaneDNA really shines. Once your logbooks are uploaded, the system automatically:
- Extracts your aircraft's serial number, make, model, engine type and serial number, and propeller information
- Finds all applicable ADs
- Cross-references your logbook entries to identify which ADs have been complied with
- Tracks recurring AD compliance, calculating next due dates based on calendar time or aircraft/engine/prop hours
- Flags any outstanding or overdue airworthiness directives
Plain English Search
Forget scrolling through PDFs. With PlaneDNA, you can search your logbooks in plain English:
- "What was accomplished during the last annual inspection"
- "When was the battery installed, and what is the model number"
- "What ADs were complied with in 2023?"
The platform understands maintenance terminology and returns relevant entries instantly.
Damage History Detection
Our ML system specifically looks for entries related to aircraft damage, including:
- Gear-up landings
- Prop strikes
- Engine replacements
- Sheet metal repairs or replacements
- Structural damage
For buyers conducting an aircraft pre-purchase inspection, this feature alone can save hours of review time and provide peace of mind about the aircraft's history.
Comprehensive Maintenance Reports
PlaneDNA automatically generates reports showing:
- Damage History Report: Complete timeline of any incidents or repairs
- AD Compliance Status: Full list of applicable ADs with compliance dates and next due dates
- Maintenance Summary: All 100-hour inspections, annual inspections, and other maintenance completed in the last year
These reports are perfect for pre-purchase inspections, insurance applications, or simply understanding your aircraft's maintenance status.
Built for General Aviation
PlaneDNA is designed specifically for single-engine piston aircraft owners and flying clubs. Whether you own a Beechcraft Bonanza, Cessna 172, or any other GA aircraft, the platform handles the unique requirements of general aviation logbook management.
For flying clubs managing multiple aircraft, PlaneDNA makes it easy to track maintenance across your fleet and ensure AD compliance for every aircraft in your operation.
Getting Started with PlaneDNA
We believe every aircraft owner should have access to modern aircraft logbook management tools. That's why we offer a free tier that lets you upload 10 airframe logbook entries to experience the platform's capabilities. Purchase a monthly or annual subscription to unlock the true power of the PlaneDNA and get insights across airframe, engine, and propeller logbook data.
Ready to digitize all your logbooks? Our paid plans support unlimited uploads across all logbook types—airframe, engine, and propeller—giving you complete visibility into your aircraft's history.
The Future of Aircraft Ownership
Aircraft ownership comes with significant responsibility, and proper logbook management is fundamental to safety and compliance. PlaneDNA doesn't replace your paper logbooks (you'll always need those originals), but it makes them infinitely more useful.
Whether you're a long-time aircraft owner tired of manual AD tracking, a prospective buyer conducting due diligence, or a flying club managing multiple aircraft, PlaneDNA transforms how you interact with your aircraft's maintenance history.
Stop spending hours searching through logbooks. Start spending minutes getting the answers you need.
Visit planedna.com to upload your first logbook entries and experience intelligent aircraft logbook management today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can PlaneDNA read handwritten logbook entries?
Yes! Our advanced OCR (optical character recognition) technology is specifically trained to recognize handwritten maintenance entries in aircraft logbooks. Whether your mechanic writes in cursive, print, or a mix of both, PlaneDNA can extract the critical information including dates, times, descriptions, and signatures. You can simply photograph the logbook page with your phone and upload it directly.
How does automated airworthiness directive tracking work?
PlaneDNA automatically identifies your aircraft's make, model, serial number, engine type, and propeller information from your uploaded logbooks. The system then queries the FAA's Airworthiness Directive database to retrieve all applicable ADs for your specific aircraft configuration. It cross-references these ADs with your logbook entries to determine compliance status, track recurring AD due dates, and flag any outstanding directives.
What aircraft types does PlaneDNA support?
PlaneDNA is designed for single-engine piston general aviation aircraft, including popular models like Cessna 172, Piper Cherokee, Beechcraft Bonanza, Cirrus SR22, and similar aircraft. The platform handles airframe, engine, and propeller logbooks for these aircraft types. We will start supporting twin engine aircraft in early 2026.
Is my logbook data secure and private?
Absolutely. We use bank-level encryption (AES-256) to protect your data both in transit and at rest. Your logbook information is stored securely and is never shared with third parties. You maintain complete ownership of your data and can export or delete it at any time.
Do I still need to keep my paper logbooks?
Yes! PlaneDNA is designed to complement—not replace—your official paper logbooks. The FAA requires original logbook entries with wet signatures for legal compliance. PlaneDNA digitizes these records to make them searchable and easier to analyze, but you should always maintain your original paper logbooks as the legal record of your aircraft's maintenance history.
How accurate is the AD compliance detection?
Our system achieves high accuracy by combining OCR technology with machine learning models trained specifically on aviation maintenance terminology. However, we always recommend having an A&P mechanic or IA review the AD compliance report, especially for critical inspections or pre-purchase evaluations. Think of PlaneDNA as a powerful tool that dramatically reduces manual review time while still allowing human verification.
Can I use PlaneDNA for a pre-purchase inspection?
Yes! This is one of the most popular use cases. PlaneDNA generates comprehensive reports showing damage history and AD compliance status—all critical information for evaluating an aircraft purchase. Many buyers use our platform to quickly assess logbook quality and identify potential red flags before investing in a full pre-purchase inspection.
What's included in the free tier?
The free tier allows you to upload 10 airframe logbook entries to test the platform's capabilities. You'll get full access to our OCR processing, plain English search, and basic reporting features. This is perfect for trying out the service or for owners who only need to digitize recent entries.
How long does it take to process uploaded logbooks?
Processing time depends on the number of pages and image quality, but most individual logbook entries are processed within 2-3 minutes. Larger batches (50+ pages) may take 15-30 minutes. You'll receive notifications when processing is complete, and you can start searching and reviewing entries as they become available.
Can flying clubs use PlaneDNA for multiple aircraft?
Yes! Flying clubs are a perfect fit for PlaneDNA. Our paid plans support managing multiple aircraft, making it easy to track maintenance and AD compliance across your entire fleet. Each aircraft gets its own logbook repository, and you can generate fleet-wide reports for insurance or regulatory purposes.
Have questions about digitizing your aircraft logbooks or airworthiness directive tracking for your specific aircraft? Contact us at support@planedna.com—we're here to help.