General Aviation Fundamentals

To practice cockpit flows for currency

To verify the aircraft is airworthy and configured for the intended flight

To test passenger comfort with seating arrangement

Maximizing fuel efficiency at cruise

Collision with terrain or obstacles during normal flight

Preventing air traffic controller interventions

Aircraft maintenance logbook

Pilot certificate or license

Passenger waiver form

To ensure controllability and safe stall speeds throughout the flight

To estimate time enroute more accurately

To reduce cabin noise during flight

High thin cirrus clouds

Wind shear and microbursts

Light drizzle

Only when visibility is less than 1 mile

Only for high-performance aircraft

From a defined point inbound to touch down to reduce risk of unstabilized landings

By organizing workload, using checklists, and prioritizing tasks to reduce errors

By delegating all decisions to air traffic control

By avoiding use of any avionics tools

Relying on luck when conditions are marginal

Willingness to divert, delay, or cancel rather than press on

Continuing because the destination is important

Close your eyes briefly to reorient

Focus on outside visual cues even if faint

Trust and cross-check flight instruments rather than bodily sensations

Maintain flying speed and control; avoid excessive maneuvering

Immediately retract flaps to climb faster

Shut down all electrical systems to save power

Rely on forecast winds to reduce required fuel

Plan for destination, alternate, and reserve fuel above forecast needs

Refuel only to published usable fuel capacity

It prevents misunderstandings, clarifies clearances, and helps manage traffic conflicts

It lets pilots avoid using charts

Because ATC will always take control of the aircraft

Wait until touchdown to decide if recovery is possible

Only go around if passengers request it

If the approach is unstabilized or unsafe, execute the go-around promptly

Rely fully on autopilot to reduce pilot workload to zero

Disable automation in all crosswind conditions

Use automation as an aid while actively monitoring and being ready to take manual control

Consistent use of proven risk-management practices and conservative decision-making

Regularly flying more hours without additional training

Using only the newest aircraft models

Assume conditions will improve enroute without confirmation

Assess pilot proficiency, aircraft capability, and airport alternates before launching

Rely on past flights in similar weather without re-evaluation

Reporting squawks promptly and ensuring discrepancies are documented and corrected

Relying on visual checks alone without logging issues

Flying until a failure occurs to see actual symptoms

Assess severity, declare emergency if needed, and plan earliest safe diversion

Ignore until reaching destination to avoid delays

Continue and ask passenger to wait for postflight care