Wingbase is the ownership system for general aviation aircraft owners — AI-powered flight logging, maintenance tracking, cost management, and partnership tools in one place. A broker-free aircraft marketplace is in development; existing members get first access at launch.

How does AI photo logging work?

After landing, take a photo of your instrument panel. Our AI reads the Hobbs, tach, or flight time values from the image and pre-fills your flight log. Review the numbers, confirm, and you're done — the whole process takes under a minute.

How does automatic flight detection work?

Register your tail number and Wingbase monitors FlightAware data automatically. When your aircraft is active, we create a draft flight entry. You confirm times on the ground — no manual entry of departure, arrival, or route required.

What does Wingbase cost?

Solo is $24/month per tail for one pilot. Partnership is $48/month per tail for 2–6 co-owners. Fleet is $96/month per tail. All plans include a 7-day free trial with no credit card required; cancel any time.

Can partnerships and flying clubs use Wingbase?

Yes — Wingbase is built for shared ownership. Partnership plans support multiple pilots per aircraft with shared reservation calendars, unified flight logs, and automatic cost splitting. There's no per-seat pricing — you pay for aircraft, not headcount.

When does the marketplace open, and how will it work?

The broker-free marketplace is in development and hasn't opened yet — join the waitlist to get first access. It will open with Cirrus aircraft first and expand from there. At launch, members will create a listing in minutes using their existing Wingbase data: verified flight logs, maintenance records, and FAA ownership data will build buyer confidence automatically. Buyers will go through pre-verification before making offers.

How will the Wingbase marketplace be different from traditional listing sites?

Traditional aircraft listing sites are effectively classifieds. When Wingbase's marketplace opens, your actual flight data and maintenance records will connect directly to your listing, so buyers see verified history rather than marketing copy. You're free to list elsewhere too — more eyes never hurt.

Will it be free to list on the marketplace?

Yes. When the marketplace opens there will be no listing fees, no commissions, and no hidden costs. We make money from aircraft management subscriptions, not from the sale.

Is Wingbase a replacement for my official pilot logbook?

No. Wingbase is designed for aircraft ownership management — tracking costs, maintenance, and operations. It's not a regulatory pilot logbook replacement. Think of it as the business side of ownership.

What aircraft types does Wingbase support?

Wingbase works with any piston, turboprop, or light jet aircraft that has a Hobbs meter or tachometer. It is not designed for heavy transport-category aircraft or commercial airline operations.

Is there a mobile app?

Yes. Wingbase has a native iOS app for logging flights, checking weather, reviewing draft flights, and managing reservations — right from the ramp. Android is planned.

Is my data secure? Do I own it?

Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest, backed up regularly, and private to you and the partners you invite. You own your data completely and can export everything at any time in CSV or PDF format.

What if I need to cancel?

Cancel anytime with no penalties. We provide a complete export of all your data before your account closes.

Reference

Aircraft Ownership Glossary

Name: Wingbase
Author: Wingbase

Plain-language definitions of terms you'll encounter as an aircraft owner, co-owner, or partnership member. From Hobbs time to TBO to wet rates.

1

100-Hour Inspection: A required maintenance inspection for aircraft used in commercial operations (flight instruction for hire, air tours, etc.) that must be performed every 100 hours of flight time. Similar in scope to an annual inspection but performed more frequently. Not required for privately operated aircraft, though many owners perform them voluntarily.

A

Annual Inspection: A federally required inspection of all U.S.-registered aircraft that must be completed every 12 calendar months by an FAA-certificated Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic holding an Inspection Authorization (IA). The aircraft must pass an annual inspection to remain airworthy. Wingbase lets you track the due date, log the completed inspection, and receive advance reminders.
Airworthiness Directive (AD): A regulatory notice issued by the FAA that requires mandatory corrective action on aircraft, engines, propellers, or appliances found to have an unsafe condition. ADs can be one-time actions or recurring at specific intervals. Owners are legally responsible for complying with all applicable ADs.
Aircraft Partnership: A shared ownership arrangement in which two or more individuals co-own an aircraft. Partnerships split the fixed costs of ownership (insurance, hangar, annual inspection) while sharing access. Managing an aircraft partnership requires clear records of who flew, for how long, and how costs are allocated — which is what Wingbase is built to handle.

D

Dry Rate: A cost-per-hour rate for using an aircraft that does not include the cost of fuel. Pilots pay for fuel separately. Dry rates are common in flying clubs and leaseback arrangements where fuel costs vary by mission.

F

Flight Time: The time from when an aircraft first moves under its own power for the purpose of flight until it comes to rest at the end of the flight. Flight time is what pilots log in their pilot logbooks for regulatory currency purposes. Not to be confused with Hobbs time or engine time.
Flying Club: A membership organization that collectively owns or leases one or more aircraft. Members pay monthly dues plus an hourly rate when they fly. Flying clubs provide access to aircraft at lower cost than individual ownership. Wingbase supports aircraft partnerships and clubs with shared scheduling, multi-user accounts, and unified flight records.
FBO (Fixed-Base Operator): A business at an airport that provides aviation services such as fueling, aircraft parking, maintenance, pilot supplies, and sometimes aircraft rentals or charter services. Many FBOs manage fleets of aircraft that require tracking software for scheduling, maintenance, and billing.

H

Hobbs Time: Flight time measured by a Hobbs meter, an elapsed-time instrument that records hours whenever the engine is running (or in some installations, whenever the aircraft is in the air). Hobbs time is commonly used to calculate cost-per-hour billing in flying clubs and aircraft partnerships. Wingbase's AI can read your Hobbs meter value directly from a photo of your instrument panel.
Hobbs Meter: An instrument installed in aircraft that measures and displays elapsed engine or flight time in hours and tenths of hours. Hobbs meters are used to track when maintenance is due and to calculate hourly operating costs. Wingbase's AI photo logging reads the Hobbs meter display from a smartphone photo.

L

Leaseback: An arrangement where an aircraft owner places their aircraft with an FBO or flight school to generate revenue from rentals or flight instruction while retaining ownership. The owner receives a portion of the rental revenue; the FBO handles scheduling, maintenance oversight, and insurance. The aircraft's usage must be carefully tracked.

M

METAR: Aviation Routine Weather Report. A standardized format for reporting current surface weather conditions at airports. METARs are issued hourly (or more frequently when conditions change significantly) and include wind, visibility, cloud cover, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting. Wingbase displays METARs from NOAA for airports relevant to your flights.

N

N-Number: The registration number assigned to a U.S.-registered aircraft by the FAA. All U.S. civil aircraft have an N-number displayed on the fuselage. Wingbase uses your aircraft's N-number to identify your aircraft in FlightAware data and automatically create draft flight logs when your aircraft flies.
NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions): A notice filed with an aviation authority to alert pilots about hazards, temporary flight restrictions, airspace changes, or other conditions relevant to flight. NOTAMs are checked during preflight planning.

P

PIREP (Pilot Report): A report from a pilot describing actual in-flight conditions — turbulence, icing, visibility, cloud tops, and other hazards encountered. PIREPs are valuable because they describe real-time conditions rather than forecasts. Wingbase integrates NOAA PIREPs for weather briefing.

T

Tach Time: Engine time measured by a tachometer (tach meter) calibrated to count hours at cruise power settings. At full power, the tach runs faster than real time; at idle, it runs slower. One tach hour typically equals slightly more than one clock hour of engine running time. Tach time is often used as a proxy for engine wear. Wingbase's AI can read tach meter values from instrument panel photos.
Tach Meter: An instrument that displays engine RPM and counts elapsed time, calibrated so that one tach hour equals one hour of flight at a reference RPM (typically cruise power). Used to track engine life and schedule time-limited maintenance items.
TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast): A weather forecast for conditions at a specific airport, typically covering a 24-30 hour period. TAFs are issued by the National Weather Service and updated every 6 hours. They use the same coded format as METARs and include expected wind, visibility, cloud ceilings, and significant weather changes.
TBO (Time Between Overhaul): The manufacturer-recommended maximum number of hours an aircraft engine should be operated before undergoing a complete overhaul. TBO is not legally mandatory for piston aircraft operated under FAR Part 91 (private use), but it is a common maintenance benchmark. Operators frequently track hours-to-TBO to plan for the significant cost of an engine overhaul.
Total Time: The cumulative number of flight hours an aircraft or engine has accumulated since new or since last major overhaul. Total airframe time and total engine time are key factors in determining an aircraft's value and upcoming maintenance needs.

W

Wet Rate: A cost-per-hour rate for using an aircraft that includes the cost of fuel. Wet rates make cost accounting simpler — the pilot or club member pays one fixed hourly rate and doesn't separately track fuel costs. Most flying clubs and partnerships use wet rates to keep billing straightforward.

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