The shift from paper logbooks to tablets on the line at my hangar

When I started at our regional MRO in Kansas City five years ago, every mechanic had a thick binder of paper logbooks and tech manuals. You'd spend 15 minutes just finding the right page for a task card. Now, we all have company-issued rugged tablets. The change happened over about 18 months, starting with a pilot program on one line. The biggest cause was management pushing for real-time data entry to cut down on paperwork delays. It's faster for looking up part numbers and signing off jobs, no doubt. But I've seen guys struggle with the touch screens when their hands are greasy, and a dead battery can stop work cold. Some of the older guys say they miss the feel of paper and argue it was a more reliable record. What's the verdict in your shop? Are tablets a clear win, or do they create as many problems as they solve?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas.parker1mo ago

Just wait until the IT department pushes a bad update and bricks every tablet at once.

averywilliams1mo ago

Mixed bag, honestly.

wood.avery1mo ago

But what about when a good update fixes a major security hole? I've seen old tablets get a new lease on life with a smoother OS. Sure, a bad push is a mess, but holding back all updates leaves everything open and slow. It's about testing, not stopping updates completely.