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1. Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Pilots & Weather Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration
1

2. Pilots & Weather Considerations
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

3. Pilots & Weather Considerations
 What this seminar isn’t
– Weather 101
– How to read METARs
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

4. Weather Considerations
 Personal Rules to LIVE by
– Bright Lines you don’t cross
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
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Personal WX minima VFR/IFR
PAVE (pre-flight planning)
CARE (in-flight decision making)
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

5. Weather Considerations
 Establish weather criteria in the comfort of
your own home when you don’t have a
specific trip in mind
 Recognize the difference between “legal”
and “appropriate”
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

6. Weather Considerations
 Personal VFR Minimums
– Ceiling
– Visibility
– Max X-Wind Component
– Fuel Reserves (Day/Night)
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

7. Weather Considerations
 Personal IFR Minimums
– Precision Approaches
 Ceiling (above published mins)
 Visibility (above published mins)
– Non-Precision Approaches
– Takeoff Minimums
– Fuel Reserves
– Freezing Level height above cruise alt
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

8. PAVE
During Pre-flight planning evaluate:
 Pilot
 Aircraft
 enVironment
 External Pressures
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

9. PAVE
In pre-flight planning the PAVE checklist
reminds you to consider:
 Pilot: Health (IMSAFE - Illness, Medication,
Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotional
state) qualifications, capabilities, currency,
proficiency, IFR/VFR
 Aircraft: Equipment, performance, load, fuel
capacity, runway surface and length,
operating ceiling, limitations
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

10. PAVE
The PAVE checklist continued:
 EnVironment: Weather, personal minimums,
terrain, over water, high altitude operations,
airspace and NOTAMs
 External Pressures: Expectant host,
planned meeting, special event, passengers
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

11. Elements in the PAVE checklist are
cumulative. A major problem in any area is
reason to cancel the flight but multiple minor
problems in more than one area can also
make delaying the flight a good idea.
A single problem in any area should be a
yellow flag to take notice but two or more
problem areas should be a red flag to take
action and change your plan.
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

12. CARE
In flight monitor changes in the PAVE criteria
and consider:
 Consequences
 Alternatives
 Reality
 External Pressures
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

13. CARE
Once you’re airborne use the CARE checklist to stay
on top of factors affecting the flight.
 Consequences: Consider consequences of
changing risk factors during the flight ( Pilot,
Aircraft, EnVironment, and External pressures)
and the decisions you make regarding them.
 Alternatives: Have a back up when you can’t
continue as planned, remembering that your
alternatives will decrease as the flight progresses
and you burn the fuel that will allow you to take a
different route or divert
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

14. CARE
The CARE checklist continued:
 Reality: Maintain situational awareness and
deal with the actual conditions, not what you
hoped or planned would happen. Accept
change and take proper action
 External pressures: Other people or
personal commitments cause goal oriented
behavior at the expense of making good
decisions.
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

15. CARE
As with the PAVE checklist, items in the
CARE checklist are also cumulative. While a
single major problem in any area can cause
a complete change of plans, minor
problems in two or more items of the CARE
checklist should cause you to re-evaluate
the situation and take appropriate action
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

16. Weather Considerations
The PAVE and CARE checklists are your
virtual co-pilot, the challenging voice in the
back of your head that causes you to
evaluate each flight management decision
you make and validate that decision against
a personal standard rather than just winging
it.
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

17. Weather Considerations
 Local Weather Stuff
– Lingering Marine Layer
– Santa Ana Winds
 Turbulence
 Mountain Wave
– Low freezing levels
 Snow & Ice away from home
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

18. Weather Considerations
 Would you be happy with the headline in
tomorrow’s newspaper?
 Would you do this with 100 paying
passengers in the back?
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

19. FAASafety.gov
 Register at FAASafety.gov
– Document your support for the program
 Attend Safety Seminars
– Green Stamps in the Bank
 NASA Incident Reporting
– Immunity for unintentional violations
– 5 year clock
– Must be able to document to be able to use
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration

20. Flying is not inherently dangerous, but
to an even greater extent than the sea,
it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness,
incapacity, or neglect.
Thank you for attending.
Pilots & Weather
Considerations
Federal Aviation
Administration