Mastering the Logbook: Proper Recordkeeping Elevates Bizav Maintenance, Sharpens Safety Focus

May 12, 2026

Whether you’re brand new to business aviation maintenance, or a seasoned professional, a refresher on the basics of clear and compliant recordkeeping is always a good idea, and a key component of a strategic approach to safety.

That was the message from Richard Scarbrough at the 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference session on logbook best practices. Scarbrough, who represented TBX, is a U.S. Navy veteran, FAA A&P mechanic and serves on the NBAA Safety Committee communications team.

“Recording (maintenance) will be the difference between being successful and struggling in your career,” he said. “This is a good refresher of the basics of logbook maintenance, and a reminder that the basics are important: even Michael Jordan practiced free throws when he was in the NBA.”

Before delving into the three dozen or so “rules” for maintenance recordkeeping, Scarbrough stressed that his presentation was put together based on input from hundreds of Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) around the country.

Logbook entries fall on a spectrum of “legal, better, best,” and your operator deserves the best,” he said. “Dates are important, periods are important,” Scarbrough said. “Where you put a decimal point is important.”

When going through a checklist of what to include in a logbook, he started with the basics: make an entry, make it professional, name the people performing the work and check for spelling mistakes.

The guidance didn’t stop there. Other recommendations include:

• Avoid blanket, vague statements – boilerplate templates can get you in trouble.
• Order the aircraft records.
• Use a comprehensive equipment list.
• Reference the correct FARs and look them up if needed.
• Break out each section if you must improve readability. “Be prepared for your entry to be read in a deposition,” he said.
• Reference all applicable part and serial numbers and check for unapproved parts that do not conform to the aircraft’s type design.
• Check compliance with Instructions for Continued Airworthiness.
• If rebuilding records, research and insert a notarized statement.
• Update the wheel-and-balance form.
• Remember the five principals of good entries: Defensibility, professionalism, accountability, repeatability and traceability – DPART.

Research all applicable airworthiness directives (AD). Use AD compliance software, backup AD compliance with an entry and reference AD compliance paragraphs.

Finally, Scarbrough said: “It takes a village. We’re all on the same team. Don’t damage relationships.”

And why is this all important?

“We are facing a crisis. The median age of an AMT is around the mid-50s. We don’t have enough boots on the ground,” he said. “We need to create more AMTs to get back to the golden age of the early 90’s.”