RMH 3-6

Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A)11830 Illness—Do I have any symptoms? Medication—Have I been taking prescription or over-the-counter drugs? Stress—Am I under psychological pressure from the job? Worried about financial matters, health problems, or family discord? Alcohol—Have I been drinking within 8 hours? Within 24 hours? Fatigue—Am I tired and not adequately rested? Emotion—Am I emotionally upset? I'M SAFE CHECKLIST Figure 3-3. IMSAFE checklist. Aircraft Hazards 11831 “A” hazards can be classified in terms of both performance and equipage. Performance 11832 Aircraft performance hazards may include: 11833 • Fuel and Range–As previously described, fuel issues continue to be a leading cause of general aviation accidents. Planning a flight to the aircraft’s maximum range magnifies this “A” hazard. Inaccurate calculations, changing conditions, or the aircraft’s failure to achieve “book” speeds and fuel consumption can lead to an incident or accident. 11834 • Takeoff and Landing Performance– Takeoffs and landings become more hazardous when the calculated performance approaches the available runway length. 11835 • Altitude Performance–Operating to or from high altitude airports or cruising at high altitudes may result in a lack of performance. In some cases, this lack of performance may not allow for a safe departure. In situations where a climb could avoid a weather or terrain hazard, the lack of performance might contribute to an incident or accident. 11836 • Payload–Does an aircraft have the capability to carry the passengers, baggage, cargo, and fuel for a planned flight? In addition, operating near maximum takeoff weight reduces climb performance. 11837 • Weight and Balance–Pilots who do not check center of gravity limits may experience difficulty trimming or controlling the aircraft, which could lead to a loss of control in-flight. Equipage 11838 The avionics and other equipment installed in an aircraft affect both utility and the ease with which a pilot can identify hazards. Equipment considerations include: 11839 • Redundancy–Could equipment failure affect the type of flight contemplated? For example, on a day VFR flight in Class E airspace, having only a single navigation/communication radio is not a major concern. However, for a flight in IMC, having one radio could be considered an “A” hazard. Instrument failure is also a concern in IMC or at night, and backup systems could prevent an accident. 11840 • Autopilot–Operating an aircraft in IMC without an autopilot increases pilot workload. A pilot flying an aircraft in these conditions might consider aircraft without an autopilot an “A” hazard.