Definition
A written or electronic record made in an aircraft maintenance logbook documenting an inoperative item, the corrective action taken, or the deferral of a discrepancy under the Minimum Equipment List. In the MEL context, the entry identifies the inoperative component, references the MEL item number, notes any required placarding, and is signed and dated by the appropriate person.
Plain English
A dated, signed note added to the aircraft's official maintenance record showing what is broken, what was done about it, and that the aircraft is still legal to fly.
Context Anchor
Seen when reviewing aircraft records before flight, especially when an item has been marked inoperative under a Minimum Equipment List.
Derivation
A logbook was originally a ship’s record of speed, distance, weather, and events during a voyage. Aviation kept the same idea: the aircraft’s logbook is the official running record of important aircraft events and work performed.
Why Pilots Care
It keeps the aircraft legally airworthy and protects the pilot from regulatory violations during a flight with deferred items.
Intuition Check
A logbook entry is not just a personal note or reminder. In this context, it is an official aircraft record that can affect whether the aircraft may legally be flown.
Example Sentence 1
Before the flight, the pilot reviewed the maintenance logbook entry confirming the inoperative landing light had been deferred under the MEL.
Example Sentence 2
After the repair, the mechanic signed the logbook entry to clear the previous MEL deferral.