Power Hour Lesson Outlines

Risk Management for Pilots and CFIs | What is IMSAFE

August 2, 2025 at 4:00:00 PM

Outline:

Introduction: Why Risk Management Still Fails Us

While regulations such as the PHAK and Risk Management Handbook exist, many flight instructors and pilots find them overly complex and impractical. Multiple models like DECIDE, 3P, PAVE, and 5P make retention difficult. It's time for a simplified, effective method to integrate risk management into daily aviation decisions.

What Is Risk Management? (and Why You Should Care)

Definition: Risk = Probability + Severity. It’s not enough to recognize a hazard—you must assess and mitigate it.
Risk Types: Total (overall), Identified (already recognized), Unidentified (potential surprises), Acceptable, Unacceptable, Residual (after mitigation).
Core Principles:
1. Avoid unnecessary risk.
2. Make decisions within your authority.
3. Only accept risk if benefits outweigh costs.
4. Use risk management in every phase of flight.

The Preflight Toolkit: PAVE + FRAT

PAVE is the foundation:

Pilot (health, currency)
Aircraft (maintenance, equipment)
Vironment (weather, terrain)
External pressures (schedule, passenger demands)

Use a Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) to score each factor. Example:

Green: Low risk—ready to fly.
Yellow: Moderate risk—mitigate or reconsider.
Red: High risk—cancel or defer.

Pilot instructors should pre-load FRAT tools into iPad or printouts for quick scoring. A 10-minute evaluation keeps risk assessment practical and effective.

In-Flight Risk Management: ADM & Situational Awareness

ADM (Aeronautical Decision Making): Ongoing cycle of perception, analysis, and action.SA (Situational Awareness): Staying aware of current conditions and anticipating risks.

Threats to SA: Fatigue, stress, information overload.
ADM should be routine, not just taught once.
Ask: What’s changing? What’s next? Use 5P checklist to stay grounded.

The 5P Checklist for Resource Management

At key points—engine start, taxi, takeoff, cruise, descent, landing—review:

Plan: Flight route, weather, alternates.
Plane: Aircraft systems, weight/balance, fuel state.
Pilot: Physiology, currency, stress levels.
Passengers: Expectations, briefing, assistance.
Programming: Avionics, autopilot, navigation setup.

This reinforces awareness and spotlights issues before they become emergencies.

Recognizing and Mitigating Hazardous Attitudes

Five core attitudes and their antidotes:

Attitude	Description	Antidote
Anti-authority	“Rules don’t apply to me”	“Follow the rules—they work”
Impulsivity	“Just do something fast!”	“Not so fast—think first”
Invulnerability	“It won’t happen to me”	“It could happen”
Macho	“Watch me take that risk”	“Taking chances is foolish”
Resignation	“What difference does it make?”	“I can make a difference”

Stress and Workload: Key Threats to Safety

Different stress sources: physical, physiological, psychological.
High workload reduces situational awareness and slows reaction.
Use 5P checks and preflight planning to lighten cognitive load.

Training Pilots to Use Risk Tools Effectively

Three-Part Learning Approach:

Master stick-and-rudder skills.
Understand risk factors and tools, like FRAT and PAVE.
Train in realistic scenarios—no obvious "right answer".

Effective training should:

Include unexpected variables.
Encourage quick decisions within low-risk boundaries.
Involve all learning domains: cognitive, affective, psychomotor.

Tools That Make Risk Real — Teach Brief‑Fly & Smart Study Pro

Teach Brief‑Fly: Visual tools for preflight briefing and maneuver planning.
Smart Study Pro: Audio/video/PDF supplements aligned with updated ACS requirements.
Pair tools with ForeFlight’s risk overlays and profile view to visually communicate risk.

Using ForeFlight as a Risk-Assessment Assistant

Display altitude profiles, icing/turbulence overlays, and airspace.
Use logbook and weight-balance features to verify takeoff figures.
Add your FRAT checklist template to ForeFlight Documents.

Case Study: Applying Risk Models to a Student Flight

Scenario: Part-day solo cross-country flight.

P → Student currency and fatigue level: Yellow
A → Fuel and performance: Green
V → Unstable mountain winds, marginal ceilings: Red
E → Time pressure and passenger expectation: Yellow

FRAT result → Red: flight delayed until conditions improve.

In flight, review 5P during cruise and check for surprises (weather or system warnings). Use attitude awareness and ADM to avoid precipitous decisions.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Overcomplication: Pilots overwhelmed by too many models.-> Stick to PAVE+FRAT+5P.
Not using current tools: Relying on paper checklists alone.-> Use Teach Brief‑Fly + Smart Study Pro + ForeFlight.
Training gaps: Adults learn if they see relevance.-> Use real scenario-based training and adaptive feedback.