Buying a used aircraft with gaps in the logbooks: would you consider it?

H****r · 2026-09-08T11:55:00.000000Z

Would a gap in an aircraft’s maintenance records immediately put you off, or would you investigate further? What would you need to know before deciding whether to keep it on your shortlist?

A****d11 days ago

I’d first ask what “a gap” means. A missing invoice and several years of missing engine records would leave me with very different questions. I’d want the seller to explain exactly what’s missing before going any further.

V****s11 days ago

Same, although I’d want an independent inspector to assess the explanation and any supporting records. A convincing story from the seller wouldn’t settle it for me.

H****r

Thread author

10 days ago

I think I’d be less comfortable taking that on for a first purchase. Even if the price looked attractive, I’d want to understand the time and cost of resolving the missing information.

Would your answer change for a rare aircraft where there aren’t many alternatives?

Buying a used aircraft with gaps in the logbooks: would you consider it?

3 replies

Buying a used aircraft with gaps in the logbooks: would you consider it?

3 replies