Here's what you need to know...

The world of aviation is always changing. And as the industry continues to progress, embracing innovations to enhance safety, efficiency, and compliance continues to be a must. 

The NBAA announced some pretty big new changes that will help business aviation departments everywhere when it comes to tackling that goal. 

In the newly revised NBAA Management Guide, key updates on Electronic Recordkeeping (a subject that was previously unmentioned in the guidelines) were added. The goal? To help catch up business aviation departments everywhere, and give some awesome processes and guidance to do it efficiently. 

The full update gives operators the essential insights into transitioning from traditional paper-based aircraft maintenance records to modern, digitized formats — one that, many would argue, helps to usher in a brand new era of streamlined operations.

Big changes to know 

— Section 3.8.4.1 (AKA your roadmap)

This updated section of the guide serves as a roadmap for operators navigating the transition, offering invaluable insights into regulatory compliance, digitization methods, and practical implementation strategies. From enhanced accessibility and data accuracy to simplified auditing processes with FAA operator approval, these are advancements that can definitely help all operators. 

What actions should you take? 
– Obtain buy-in from all departments and groups involved within your operation to go digital.
– Make a plan. Determine if you will take this on internally or hire a vendor.
– When starting, have routine check-ins with all individuals and groups involved (and vendors if used) to keep on track.

— Best Practices  (AKA your “how-tos” and “whys”) 

The new “Best Practices” section is, in huge part, a fundamental commitment to the success of this transition. By breaking down the key lessons and strategies, operators can easily replicate this model in order to score big with their own team and fleet.

What actions should you take?
– Document your processes and procedures so that they’re easily repeatable.
– Perform a retrospective after completing your digitization efforts.
– Learn what worked (and change what didn’t).

— Section 3.8.1.8 (AKA the deets on electronic signatures)

The detailed information on Electronic Signatures in section 3.8.1.8 helps to give even more comprehensive details on going digital. The section gives operators a deep understanding of modern recordkeeping practices, including how to use electronic signatures in the most efficient way possible. 

What actions should you take?
– Much like electronic recordkeeping, obtain buy-in from all departments and groups involved within your operation.
– Check with your current, and possibly other, maintenance tracking programs for their availability and useability of an electronic signature function.
– Document your processes and procedures to ensure future success.

As the aviation industry keeps on embracing all things digital, this updated digital release serves as a guiding beacon. It’s paving the way for operators, leading them towards a future where efficiency, compliance and safety are all ramped up to the max. 

Resources you need 

For the full guidelines, NBAA members can view and download the revised NBAA Management Guide here.


For information on taking your aircraft records digital with ZERO interruption to your business, you can learn more here. 

NBAA New Guidelines on Electronic Recordkeeping

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