Chapter 9: Documents & OCR
Overview
Aircraft-logs.com allows you to attach documents to your records and automatically extracts text from images using Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This chapter covers document management and the OCR feature.
Document Attachments
Where You Can Attach Documents
Documents can be attached to:
- Aircraft: Registration, certificates, weight & balance
- Logbook Entries: Work orders, invoices, photos
- Components: 8130-3 tags, overhaul records
- Airworthiness Directives: Compliance documentation
Supported File Types
Images:
- JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg)
- PNG (.png)
- GIF (.gif)
Documents:
- PDF (.pdf)
File Size Limits
- Individual files: Up to 25 MB
- Total storage: Included with subscription
Uploading Documents
Standard Upload
- Navigate to the edit form (aircraft, logbook, component, or AD)
- Scroll to the Attachments or Documents section
- Click Choose Files or Browse
- Select one or more files
- Files upload immediately or when you save
Drag and Drop
Most upload areas support drag and drop:
1. Open the edit form
2. Drag files from your computer
3. Drop onto the upload area
4. Files are added
Multiple Files
Select multiple files at once:
- Hold Ctrl/Cmd while clicking
- Or select a range with Shift+click
- All selected files upload together
Managing Documents
Viewing Documents
Click on any attachment to:
- View images in a lightbox
- Download files
- Open PDFs in a new tab
Rotating Images
For images that are sideways or upside down:
1. Click the Rotate button
2. Image rotates 90 degrees
3. Click again to continue rotating
4. Rotation is saved automatically
Deleting Documents
- Find the document thumbnail
- Click the Delete (trash) icon
- Confirm deletion
Warning: Deleted documents cannot be recovered.
OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
What is OCR?
OCR technology scans images and extracts readable text. This allows you to:
- Search document contents
- Copy text from images
- Make handwritten notes searchable (if legible)
Automatic OCR Processing
When you upload an image to a logbook entry:
1. The system automatically processes it with OCR
2. Text is extracted and stored
3. The text becomes searchable
4. Processing happens in the background
Viewing OCR Text
To view extracted text:
1. Find the document attachment
2. Click the OCR or Text icon
3. A modal opens showing the extracted text
Editing OCR Text
OCR isn't perfect. You can correct errors:
1. View the OCR text
2. Edit directly in the text area
3. Click Save Changes
4. Corrected text is saved and searchable
OCR Quality Tips
For best OCR results:
- Clear images: Higher resolution = better results
- Good lighting: Avoid shadows and glare
- Straight alignment: Square to the document
- Typed text: Clearer than handwriting
- High contrast: Dark text on light background
OCR Usage Limits
Your subscription includes monthly OCR pages:
- Standard: 50 OCR pages per month
- Additional: Can be purchased if needed
Checking Your Usage
Your OCR usage appears:
- On upload forms ("X / 50 used this month")
- In your account settings
- On billing pages
What Counts as a Page?
- Each image processed counts as one page
- Multi-page PDFs count as multiple pages
- Re-processing an image counts again
Searching Document Content
Full-Text Search
The global search includes OCR content:
1. Use the search bar
2. Enter keywords
3. Results include matches from:
- Logbook descriptions
- Work item names
- OCR-extracted text
Finding Specific Documents
To find a document by its content:
1. Enter distinctive text from the document
2. Search results show matching logbook entries
3. Navigate to the entry to find the attachment
Common Document Types
Aircraft Documents
- Registration certificate
- Airworthiness certificate
- Radio station license
- Weight and balance
- Equipment list
- Insurance certificate
- POH/AFM cover page
Maintenance Documents
- Work orders
- Invoices
- Inspection reports
- Discrepancy lists
- Parts receipts
- 8130-3 tags
Compliance Documents
- AD compliance letters
- STC documentation
- 337 forms
- Engineering authorizations
- Service bulletin compliance
Photos
- Before/after repair photos
- Discrepancy documentation
- Inspection findings
- Part condition photos
Best Practices
Organize as You Go
Attach documents when creating entries:
- Easier to associate correctly
- Nothing gets lost
- Complete records immediately
Use Descriptive Names
Before uploading, rename files descriptively:
- 2024-01-15-oil-change-invoice.pdf
- annual-inspection-report-2024.pdf
- ad-2024-10-05-compliance.jpg
Maintain Quality
- Scan at 300 DPI minimum
- Use PDF for multi-page documents
- Take photos in good lighting
- Ensure text is readable
Regular Backup
Although Aircraft-logs.com backs up your data:
- Keep original documents
- Export data periodically
- Maintain local copies of critical records
Troubleshooting OCR
Poor Text Recognition
If OCR produces poor results:
- Try a clearer image
- Ensure document is straight
- Check image resolution
- Avoid glare and shadows
OCR Not Running
If text isn't being extracted:
- Verify the file is an image (not PDF)
- Check your OCR quota
- Wait a few minutes (processing is async)
- Try re-uploading
Editing OCR Errors
Common OCR mistakes:
- "0" vs "O"
- "1" vs "l" vs "I"
- Merged or split words
Correct these in the OCR edit view for accurate searching.