Maintenance Tracking e-log program vs V-Log program

ISSAQUAH, Wash. - Nov. 5, 2015 - PRLog -- Maintenance Tracking:

• Maintenance tracking of an aircraft involves keeping track of the history of the routine (and sometimes non-routine) maintenance activity on an aircraft, so that you can forecast upcoming routine maintenance for both scheduling and budgetary purposes.
• Maintenance tracking companies provide Task Cards that usually have a description of the particular work to be done and how to do it. The description on the task card of how to do the work is usually derived from the Maintenance Manual of the aircraft.

Logbooks:

• A maintenance logbook documents all of the ongoing work accomplished on an aircraft. The primary logbooks and other records that we care about on a multi-engine jet are the Airframe, Engine, APU and the associated certifications such as FAA Form 8130 for parts, FAA approved Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) for new equipment installations; FAA Form 337s for major repairs, FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD Note) Compliance, and minor modifications such as Customer Bulletins and Service Changes from the OEM.
• The information that is required to be in a maintenance logbook entry is stipulated in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR Part 43). The operation of every aircraft as it relates to the FARs is overseen by the FAA to ensure compliance with the FAR applicable to that aircraft.

Maintenance Tracking’s e-log program

•
E-log is the maintenance tracking company’s answer to providing a back-up of the paper record.
• Challenges with e-log are:

• It is not the Maintenance Tracking Company’s focus and is often a free service resulting in the “get what you pay for”.
• The back-up images are PDFs which makes them difficult to use and to search. PDF’s are used as single document applications and therefore are isolated pieces of information that must be treated separately to open and to search.
• The images are typically maintenance entries linked directly to the particular task and therefore not a truly usable electronic logbook.
• It gives the maintenance tracking company control over both maintenance tracking of the aircraft and the electronic history of the FAA approved compliance data.

V-Log’s program:

• V-Log is an Electronic Record Keeping Program that is an exact replication of the aircraft’s paper record.
• Benefits of V-Log are:

• V-Log uses an electronic database that allows a person to see and search the entire electronic representation of the aircraft’s FAR compliant paper record with each search.
• V-Log is in compliance with the FAA Advisory regarding Electronic Record Keeping Programs so pages can be reprinted to replace lost or damaged information from the paper record.
• V-Log is an image based software program that uses TIF images which are superior for archiving documentation in a data base format.
• V-Log can utilize existing PDF documents which we will convert to high resolution TIF images for integration into the data base.
• Information stored on V-Log’s secure server is owned by you, the owner/operator, and can be requested in CD ROM or other format at any time.
• V-Log’s ADL can be shared with MROs, vendors, overhaul facilities, or anyone else needing information from the logbooks without putting the high value paper record at risk of damage or loss.

Conclusion:

• V-Log represents a technological advancement in our industry with respect to using and caring for aircraft logbooks and aircraft record keeping in general.

• V-Log is a complement to maintenance tracking in that it provides an efficient and effective electronic solution for aiding maintenance personnel in preserving the safety, Airworthiness, and value of the aircraft.

• Therefore, Owners and Operators need to add V-Log to their maintenance department processes.

For more details on aircraft maintenance logbooks, check here - https://logbookbestpractices.com/category/best-practices/