Aeronautical Decision-Making — PAVE, IMSAFE, hazardous attitudes
**PAVE** is a pre-flight risk-assessment checklist: • **P**ilot — am I IMSAFE? Currency? Recurrent training up to date? • **A**ircraft — is it airworthy? Battery state? Firmware? • en**V**ironment — weather, airspace, lighting, terrain? • **E**xternal pressures — client deadline? Weather window closing? 'Get-there-itis'?
**IMSAFE** is personal readiness: • **I**llness · **M**edication · **S**tress · **A**lcohol (14 CFR 91.17: 8-hour bottle-to-throttle, blood alcohol <0.04%) · **F**atigue · **E**ating
The **five hazardous attitudes** and their antidotes: • Anti-authority ('don't tell me') → Follow the rules. They are usually right. • Impulsivity ('do something quickly') → Not so fast. Think first. • Invulnerability ('it won't happen to me') → It could happen to me. • Macho ('I can do it') → Taking chances is foolish. • Resignation ('what's the use?') → I'm not helpless. I can make a difference.
The **DECIDE** model for in-flight decisions: **D**etect · **E**stimate · **C**hoose · **I**dentify · **D**o · **E**valuate.