3 Common Logbook Red Flags That Scare Buyers (And How to Fix Them)

Aircraft sales fall apart more often over paperwork than prebuy inspections.

That’s because logbooks aren’t just about compliance — they tell the story of how an aircraft was cared for. And when that story is confusing, incomplete, or inconsistent… buyers walk away.

Here are 3 red flags AeroScore sees all the time:

• 1. Gaps in maintenance history Even if the work was done, missing pages, months, or years can raise questions. Did something get skipped? Was the aircraft parked with issues?

  • Fix: Add a logbook summary sheet explaining any gaps. Or better, have AeroScore highlight and clarify them in a structured report.

• 2. Vague AD compliance An entry that says “AD complied with” and nothing else? That won’t cut it for most buyers. They want AD number, date, and signature.

  • Fix: Revisit old entries and add compliance summaries or attach documentation.

• 3. Handwriting or scan issues Blurry PDFs, dark shadows, or handwritten logs that are hard to read reduce credibility — even if the work was legit.

  • Fix: Rescan at high quality, organize by section, and use AeroScore to translate them into a clean, easy-to-read PDF summary.

Pro tip: Addressing these red flags before listing your aircraft gives buyers fewer reasons to hesitate — and can reduce time on market by weeks.

AeroScore reviews your logs and flags all of this for you. One report = peace of mind for buyers and sellers alike. Ready to order? Start your report here.