Expert Weighs In On The Importance Of Aircraft Logbooks To An Aircraft's Resale Value

Larry Hinebaugh of V-Log Aircraft Digital Logbook spoke recently about the impact that keeping maintenance logbooks can have on the resale value of an aircraft. He points out that this is a commonly known fact that should be understood by all aircraft owners, especially those who plan to sell their aircraft at some point in the future. It doesn't matter what type of aircraft it is, its design, or how old it is. Even across those differences, it is the thoroughness of the record keeping that is the most important to a buyer.

He explains that even if an owner is diligent in maintaining his craft and keeping it in optimum condition, many sellers will make the conclusion that "if it's not in the logbooks, it didn't really happen." The logbook entries will answer the many questions that a future owner may be wondering about. Buyers want to know if maintenance was done, how it was done, when, where, and by whom. Most will want to know the reputation of the repair company and whether or not they are considered a reputable.

Condit points out that "up to 30% of an aircraft's value can depend on the condition and completeness of the aircraft's paper logbooks." Once people realize that an aircraft's resale value can be negatively impacted by how well the owners maintain the logbooks, they will be more inclined to keep better records during the time they own their craft.

In a recent article in the company blog,  Aircraft Maintenance Logbook Best Practices, aircraft broker Brian Chase explained that missing logbooks can raise serious doubts in the buyers' minds. It may give them cause to doubt whether or not there is a damage history of the aircraft or that there is a hidden reason why the aircraft logbooks are missing. As a result, they may resort to consulting the FAA to determine if there has been any major repair work or alterations done on the craft, but there is no guarantee that they will find the aircraft's history their either.

Aircraft buyers need to be extremely cautious when purchasing an aircraft, so in response to a lack of maintenance records, they may opt to not make the purchase. Condit suggests that for the responsible aircraft owner, it is important that they don't maintain the aircraft logbooks themselves. Instead, he suggests that they find a neutral third party professional to take care of this matter for them.

He adds that while many people fear that seeing a damage report in a logbook could kill a sale, this is not always the case. Still, while it may not be the deal breaker expected, it can definitely narrow down the pool of buyers. However, the pool could literally dry up if owners choose to leave the information out entirely.

For many people, the idea of maintaining logbooks can be an arduous task, but if one is seriously considering ways to preserver their aircraft resale value, it is something that every aircraft owner should take advantage of.