Sync and backups, explained
You log a flight. Where does it go? What happens if your phone goes for a swim? Do you need to become an IT specialist just to keep your hours safe?
No. Three tiers, three approaches. Pick the one that matches how much tinkering you want to do.
The cheat sheet
| Tier | Sync | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Falcon Cloud | Yes - we run it for you | Automatic - we handle it |
| Self-Hosted | Yes - runs on a computer you control | Automatic - stored on the same computer |
| Local | No | File copies to your cloud provider (WebDAV, Dropbox, iCloud) |
Falcon Cloud: no setup, no lock-in
Falcon Cloud is the easy button. Multi-device sync works out of the box. Backups happen automatically. You don't touch a config file, you don't rent a server, you don't call your IT guy's cousin. It just works.
The cost is around $4-5 NZD a month. That money keeps the servers running and supports the project.
And here's the thing - we're not holding you to ransom. Start on Cloud, decide later you want to self-host? Export your data, point Falcon at your own database, keep going. Want to go fully local? Same deal. Your data comes with you. No lock-in, no export fees, no hoops. That's the whole point of building on open source.
Falcon Cloud is the right call if you want everything handled and don't want to think about where your data lives.
Self-Hosted: you run it, we make it easy
Maybe you like having control. Maybe you already have a server sitting around. Maybe you just don't want another monthly bill. Self-Hosted is for you.
All you need is a Postgres database - it's a special program that stores your data. You can put it on an old laptop at home, a cheap cloud machine for a few bucks a month, or use a hosting service that sets it up for you. Once it's running, sync and backup are taken care of in one go.
Sync. Log flights on your phone in the air, on your tablet in the hotel, on your desktop at home. Everything stays in sync automatically. No signal? No problem - changes queue up and sync when you connect. You'd have to try pretty hard to lose data.
Backup. Automatic. Stored on the same database that runs your sync. No separate setup, no extra accounts. Just turn it on and forget about it. You keep the last few snapshots so you can go back if you ever need to.
One database handles your sync, your backups, and your multi-device setup. No juggling cloud drives, no extra subscriptions. Just a computer running your database and you're done. If it ever goes down, your phone and tablet still have all your data locally - fix the machine and sync picks up where it left off.
Local: you're in no man's land (but we brought supplies)
Local mode is your device and nothing else. No sync, no central computer. Just you and your logbook.
Backup is on you. But we don't leave you hanging with a "remember to email yourself the file" approach. We ship backup providers that copy your logbook to cloud storage you probably already use:
- WebDAV (launch)
- Dropbox (launch)
- iCloud (launch)
We'll add more as people ask for them. OneDrive, whatever makes the most noise. No promises on timelines, but the door is open.
The backup itself is simple: a copy of your logbook, timestamped, sent to your provider. No weird formats. Just your data, sitting in a folder you control.
Phone meets toilet? Grab the latest file from Dropbox, import it, you're back in the air.
The takeaway
- Want it all handled with no fuss? Falcon Cloud.
- Happy to run your own database? Self-Hosted.
- One device and fine managing your own backups? Local.
- One device but want automatic backups to your cloud? Local + Backup.
Hope that clears it up. It's not meant to be confusing - we just believe in giving you the choice that suits you. That's the Falcon way.