The Civil Air Patrol, the auxiliary for the U.S. Air Force, is partnering with Planelogix to manage aircraft maintenance and management services.
According to its website, Planelogix offers turnkey aircraft maintenance record digitization. The CAP boasts 545 single-engine aircraft, making it the world’s largest fleet.
Mike Valdez, CAP’s chief logistics management officer, calls the partnership a revolutionary step forward for the organization.
“This modern maintenance information system will transform how we manage our fleet, making it more efficient, more responsive, and ultimately more mission-capable than ever before,” Valdez said in a news release.
The Civil Air Patrol flies more than 100,000 hours annually, conducting missions such as emergency services, search and rescue, and disaster relief, as well as flying as part of Cadet Programs and Aerospace Education in support of military training. That’s a lot of time and aircraft to keep track of.
“This system brings CAP in line with industry standards for aircraft maintenance,” Valdez said. “With Planelogix we are enhancing our ability to deliver safe, mission-ready aircraft to our volunteer pilots across the country so they can execute our primary mission of serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.”
Planelogix provides in-house scanning of documents and follows the guidelines set forth in FAA Advisory Circular 120-78B.
According to the CAP, the partnership with Planelogix was two years in the making and came from recommendations from the CAP Aircraft Maintenance Improvement Team, which includes representatives from CAP national headquarters and CAP-USAF as well as CAP volunteers.
- READ MORE: Civil Air Patrol Expands Fleet
The organization notes this is the first in a series of measures designed to improve CAP’s airworthiness, including a review and revision of maintenance governance policies and directives, establishment of a quality assurance plan, and increased training for aircraft maintenance officers and pilot/flight release officers.
Improving CAP’s airworthiness has been a main focus of Major General Regena Aye, CAP’s national commander/CEO. Aye took command in August 2024.
“As I said at the change of command, we own the future of our organization, and airworthiness is a critical emphasis area in my commander’s intent,” Aye said. “We need to build a foundation for Civil Air Patrol to not only survive but also thrive in the future.”
About Planelogix
Planelogix was founded in 2014 by Rob Wilkes and Will Goldstein. It has evolved into an industry leader in the digital aircraft maintenance record-keeping business. The company provides FAA-compliant logbook backup, transcription, and tracking services. The logbooks are digitized, which makes them easier to search and share.
“We are excited and humbled to be chosen by Civil Air Patrol as a partner in their mission,” said Goldstein, the company’s CEO. “CAP’s attention to detail and dedication to excellence mirror our own at Planelogix, and together we will bring unprecedented searchability to every aircraft record, ensure unmatched accuracy in maintenance tracking, and seamlessly unite their [electronic tech logs] and [maintenance information system] into one streamlined system….This partnership reinforces our industry-leading standard for managing and accessing mission-critical aviation records, and we look forward to working with a team that values doing it right over doing it fast.”
