Mastering Pilot Decision-Making: A Simple Question That Makes You a Safer Pilot

I met Brian, an 800 hour private pilot, recently during a flight review. Brian took a few lessons in a J3 Cub and found he struggled to read the instruments with a passenger in the front, had to release the controls to key the mic, and his larger feet wedged into the rudder pedals. “I’m not sure this is the situation I want to put my kids into, it puts a lot of pressure on me, and wouldn’t be safe for anyone,” he explained. A new airplane, young passengers, unusual controls, and difficulty on the rudders are each important risks. Brian decided the J3 wasn’t the right plane at this time. Instead he chose a plane in which he has more experience, more comfortable seating, and standardized controls.

In another case, a student was on a solo flight practicing air maneuvers. He had planned to stop at a nearby airport for some landings. During maneuvers he monitored the field’s traffic advisory frequency. “I was already getting fatigued from the maneuvers, it’s a Saturday morning, there’s a good crosswind, and the pattern is full of different types of planes. I just decided to go back to the home field.” He did a great job of considering the flight situation, his own fatigue level, and the likelihood of busy traffic, and made a decision that balanced his purpose and safety.

In both cases, the pilots changed their plans. Both situations may have carried some disappointment, some adaptation, but both pilots made safe, conservative decisions. They made honest assessments of themselves and the situation. They thought through what they wanted to do. They created alternative paths, and chose the best one.

This might sound complicated or difficult, and some tools out there make it feel that way at first. There’s a simple question you can ask at any time: “Where are my outs?” Take a breath, slow down, zoom out and think about the situation. You might ask yourself:

What pressure am I feeling? If you can honestly assess your gut feeling, this usually helps understand the source of anxiety or risk. Listen to that little voice. Is it an issue of experience, currency, or factors outside your control?

Do I have an out? Outs are essentially options. Think through each of the factors that could increase risk in your flight. What options do you have available? Can you use a different airplane, fly on a different day, or even change instructors? What can you do to increase potential options?

What would I think if someone else did this? It can be hard to assess our own actions, but often we’re more objective about someone else’s. What would you think if your best friend made the flight in the same way, or made the same decision? That can help raise things needing more thought.

When we are starting out, we call it out, ask “Where are my outs?”, and make a conscious decision to manage risks. That’s Aviation Decision-Making in practice. If you’re feeling anxiety, it’s your nervous system trying to protect you. Listen to your gut. Think about the best ways to be the Pilot in Command. Soon, creating good options is just part of your flying personality.