It is well known by pilots that having their logbook up to date is vital for their career. No employer would ever hire them without a well registered proof of experience.

But... ¿are all maintenance engineers concerned the same way?

We have found, at some instances, a lack of awareness in this matter.

First of all, let's define what a maintenance logbook is and its purpose:

A maintenance logbook is not so different than a pilot logbook, in terms of definition; it is meant to register all the engineer's practical experience along his career, so both the engineer himself and the employers have a good track of the real (and recent) level of skill.

The engineer's logbook is his own signature, and genuinely works better than a cv itself.

In fact, and due to it being counter-signed by the Part 145 organization where the tasks have been performed, it provides extra credibility to the engineer's professional background and experience.

However, and when representing some of our first-time contracting engineers towards a contract job, we have found that some of them do not keep a proper registry of their experience records.

The profile is quite common: licensed engineers who have spent their entire career working in big companies, and for some reason they decide to take a turn in their professional path.

Life appears to look easier when working for the big aviation giants: they will look after your training records (Human Factors, EWIS, FTS, Type Ratings, etc...), your license, and indeed your experience records.

However, these are things that the engineer himself should be concerned about, and when it comes to freelance engineers, it's their sole responsibility.

Also, in order to be authorised by a (client's) Part 145 organisation towards a specific aircraft model, the contracting engineer needs to be able to proof at least 6 months of real experience on type within the last 2 years. Without a logbook, this would pose difficulties, especially for those contractors who are jumping from one job to another.

So, whether you are a contractor engineer or you are considering becoming one, make sure you have all you need with you. It belongs to you, not to your employer, and it shall accompany you during your entire career.

And, if you have your records all set up, make sure you keep it up! No one will speak better about your skills.