The term “Damage History” is a widely used but sometimes misunderstood term in the aviation community. For as long as aircraft have been flying, aircraft have needed to be repaired. Actually the same is true for any complex machine – if it moves, it will at some point break or be damaged. Whether the result of operator error, engineered lifecycle, mechanical malfunction, or Act of God, machines require routine maintenance and or the occasional unscheduled repair in order to remain in “like new” condition. Automobiles, boats, homes, appliances, and computers for example, are no exception. However, there is a significant difference between aircraft and all other types of machines insofar as aircraft repairs must be performed in compliance with standard procedures completed by authorized and licensed individuals trained to ensure that, to extent humanly possible, the aircraft is restored to its original functional state without compromise in safety. There is of course one other difference – aircraft have log books that document all maintenance, scheduled or not as well as any repairs (i.e., hangar rash, repaint, etc.).The term “Damage History” makes people cringe, primarily because an aircraft with a documented airframe repair may not retain its full residual value or comparable resale value for a similar year, make and model aircraft without a documented repair.