A small team chasing a big idea
We're pilots who got tired of overpriced, clunky software. So we built the tool we wished existed.
Two pilots and an engineer who geek out on aviation. We use HobbsMate ourselves. If something sucks, we fix it.
Founder & Engineer
Pilot and software engineer. Started HobbsMate to scratch his own itch and give back to the General Aviation community. Handles everything from engineering to UX to customer support, alongside his wife Christen who helps with marketing and support.
Engineering
Aviation enthusiast and engineer. When he isn't spending time with his family or perfecting the art of pizza making, he's getting nerdy on the details that make HobbsMate tick. You'll find Jacob obsessing over latency and the finer engineering details that make the platform stand out.
Sales & Partnerships
Family man and pilot. Co-owner of a plane with Lance, Brandon has been there since the beginning of HobbsMate. He's excited to help share the vision with the General Aviation community.
It started with a spreadsheet. The existing aircraft management software had price gates that didn't match the value. Lance, a pilot, veteran, and software engineer, realized he had the skills to build something better for himself and his co-owner Brandon. A nice change from building software for big tech and DoD. That was the spark.
As we dug in, we got nerdy on what GA pilots actually do every day: snap a photo of the Hobbs or Tach, record the times, note where we started and ended. The question hit: what if we just leaned into the pictures? What could we glean from that?
A lot, it turns out. That's when HobbsMate went from "just another tracking app" to something different. HobbsMate Intelligence™ was born.
Another owner asked for an oil sample export feature. We were ready to build a button. Then the second epiphany hit: what if you could just *ask* HobbsMate Intelligence™? We tested it. It worked. Now we lean hard into that approach: letting features find themselves from feedback, and not doing what's already been done.
We're a small team: two pilots and an engineer who geeks out on aviation. We use HobbsMate ourselves. If something sucks, we note it and fix it. Every feature exists because one of us needed it.
We ship fast, listen to feedback, and keep improving. This is just the beginning. We invite you to join us on this adventure.
Our principles guide every decision, from features we build to how we run the business.
We don't build features just because others have them. We study the problem, find the friction, and ask: what if we approached this differently? That's how photo-based logging was born. We're just getting started.
We're profitable from subscriber fees alone. No VC funding means no pressure to jack up prices, add random paywalls, or chase metrics that don't help pilots. We build what makes flying easier. Period.
We're not trying to be the next unicorn. We're building a sustainable business that serves GA pilots for decades. Slow, steady growth beats VC-fueled chaos every time.
We listen to pilots, not pitch decks. Your input directly shapes what we build next. Got an idea? Tell us. We're small enough to be nimble and actually care about your feedback.
We're not going anywhere. No acquisition pressure. No shutdown risk. We built this for our own aircraft. You're just flying with us. HobbsMate will be here as long as you need it.
We tell you what HobbsMate can do and what it can't. No overpromising. No fake urgency. Just honest software from pilots who get it.
VC Dollars Raised
100% pilot-owned, 100% focused on you
AI Photo Logging
The only app that turns photos into flight logs
Platforms at Launch
Web, iOS, Android from day one
Snap a photo. Get a log entry. It's that simple.
No credit card required. Free usages of photo logging and more to try it out. Cancel anytime.
We're a small team, but we respond fast. Questions, feedback, or just want to chat about aviation?