FAA · FAASTeam Safety Articles
Pilot Personal Minimums Checklist
In Brief
What It Addresses
Credit card and telephone numbers available for alternate plans Appropriate clothing or personal needs (eye wear, medication...) in the event of unexpected stay
From the Document: selected source passages, quoted as written, for a quick overview.
EXTERNAL
PRESSURES
Trip Planning
Allowance for delays .............. _____ minutes Alternate Plans for Diversion or Cancellation Notification of person(s) you are meeting Passengers briefed on diversion or cancellation plans and alternatives Modification or cancellation of car rental, restaurant, or hotel reservations Arrangement of alternative transportation (airline, car, etc.)
Personal Equipment
Credit card and telephone numbers available for alternate plans Appropriate clothing or personal needs (eye wear, medication...) in the event of unexpected stay
Your Personal Minimums Checklist—
An easy-to-use, personal tool, tailored to your level of skill, knowledge, and ability
Helps you control and manage risk by identifying even subtle risk factors
Lets you fly with less stress and less risk Practice “Conservatism Without Guilt” Each item provides you with either a space to complete a personal minimum or a checklist item to think about. Spend some quiet time completing each blank and consider other items that apply to your personal minimums. Give yourself permission to choose higher minimums than those specified in the regulations, aircraft flight manuals, or other rules.
How to Use Your Checklist
Use this checklist just as you would use one for your aircraft. Carry the checklist in your flight kit. Use it at home as you start planning a flight and again just before you make your final decision to fly.
Be wary if you have an item that’s marginal in any single risk factor category. But if you have items in more than one category, you may be headed for trouble.
If you have marginal items in two or more risk factors/categories, don’t go!
Periodically review and revise your checklist as your personal circumstances change, such as your proficiency, recency, or training. You should never make your minimums less restrictive unless a significant positive event has occurred. However, it is okay to make your minimums more restrictive at any time. And never make your minimums less restrictive when you are planning a specific flight, or else external pressures will influence you.
Have a fun and safe flight!
Developed in coorperation with:
PERSONAL
MINIMUMS
CHECKLIST
Think...
PILOT
AIRCRAFT
ENVIRONMENT
EXTERNAL
PRESSURES
Importance of Trip
The more important the trip, the more tendency there is to compromise your personal minimums, and the more important it becomes to have alternate plans. King Schools, Inc.
3840 Calle Fortunada
San Diego, CA 92123
1-800-854-1001
Pilot:
Date Revised:
Reviewed with: (if applicable)
®
PILOT
Experience/Recency
Takeoffs/landings.................. _____ in the last _____ days Hours in make/model .......... _____ in the last _____ days Instrument approaches ........ _____ in the last (simulated or actual) _____ days Instrument flight hours .......... _____ in the last (simulated or actual) _____ days Terrain and airspace ........................familiar Physical Condition Sleep .................................... _____ in the last 24 hours Food and water .................... in the last _____ hours Alcohol ..................................None in the last _____ hours Drugs or medication..............None in the last _____ hours Stressful events ....................
None in the last _____ days Illnesses ................................None in the last _____ days
AIRCRAFT
Fuel Reserves (Cross-Country) VFR Day .................................... ______ hours Night.................................. ______ hours IFR Day .................................... ______ hours Night.................................. ______ hours Experience in Type Takeoffs/landings.................. _____ in the last in aircraft type _____ days
Aircraft Performance Establish that you have additional performance available over that required. Consider the following:
Gross weight
Load distribution
Density altitude
Performance charts
Aircraft Equipment Avionics.................... familiar with equipment (including autopilot and GPS systems) COM/NAV.................. equipment appropriate to flight
Charts ...................... current Clothing.................... suitable for preflight and flight Survival gear ............ appropriate for flight/terrain ENVIRONMENT
Airport Conditions Crosswind .............. ______ % of max POH Runway length........ _____ % more than POH Weather Reports and forecasts ..........not more than ______ hours old Icing conditions ............within aircraft/pilot capabilities
Weather for VFR Ceiling Day........................ ______ feet Night .................... ______ feet Visibility Day........................ ______ miles Night .................... ______ miles Weather for IFR
Precision Approaches Ceiling .............. ______ feet above min. Visibility .......... ______ mile(s) above min.
Non-Precision Approaches
Ceiling .............. ______ feet above min. Visibility .......... ______ mile(s) above min.
Missed Approaches
No more than ...... ______ before diverting Takeoff Minimums Ceiling .................. ______ feet Visibility .............. ______mile(s)
Source: Federal Aviation Administration — www.faasafety.gov. Reproduced from the published record; FlightPush adds formatting only.
Author: FAASTeam
FAASTeam library-75463