RMH 2-1

Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A)Introduction 11815 Federal regulations that apply to aviation do not cover every situation nor do they guarantee safety. For example, a pilot may legally fly in marginal VFR conditions at night even though low visibility and night hazards increase the risk for an incident or accident. Therefore, pilots should consider non-mandatory self-regulation in the form of personal minimums. Personal Minimums 12391 Pilots who understand the difference between what is “smart” or “safe” based on pilot experience and proficiency establish personal minimums that are more restrictive than the regulatory requirements. The following six steps allow pilots to establish a set of personal minimums in order to reduce risk and fly with greater confidence. Step 1—Review Weather Flight Categories 12392 Establishing personal minimums normally begins with weather, and pilots should know the range of ceiling and visibility that defines each category. [Figure 2-1] 12393 Visual Flight Rules VFR Marginal Visual Flight Rules MVFR Instrument Flight Rules IFR Low Instrument Flight Rules LIFR Category Ceiling Visibility and/or and/or and/or andGreater than 3,000 feet AGL 1,000 to 3,000 feet AGL 500 to below 1,000 feet AGL below 500 feet AGL Greater than 5 miles 3 to 5 miles 1 mile to less than 3 miles less than 1 mile Figure 2-1. Weather category values for ceiling and visibility. Step 2—Assess Experience and Comfort Level 12394 Pilots should also take a few minutes to complete the certification, training, and experience summary in Figure 2-2 by filling in the right column. Some pilots fly different aircraft categories and classes and may develop different personal minimums based on the specific aircraft flown. For example, many pilots will have a different set of personal minimums when flying a single-engine airplane versus a multiengine airplane. Depending on pilot experience, the minimums in a multiengine airplane could be higher than the single-engine airplane minimums. Pilots may use the information entered in Figure 2-2 to set personal minimums for a variety of situations using tables in Figure 2-3, Figure 2-4, and Figure 2-5. Chapter 2: Personal Minimums