Definition
A practical risk management framework taught to pilots in which the pilot Perceives the hazards present in a given flight situation, Processes the level of risk those hazards create by considering their consequences and likelihood, and then Performs by acting to eliminate or mitigate the risk. It is used as a repeatable, in-flight decision-making tool throughout all phases of a flight.
Plain English
A simple three-step way of handling risk in flight: spot what could hurt you, think about how bad it could get, then do something about it. You repeat this loop continuously as the flight unfolds.
Context Anchor
Used in pilot training and real flight decisions, especially when weather, aircraft condition, fuel, time, or pilot condition changes.
Derivation
Each P names one step of the cycle: Perceive (notice the hazard), Process (judge the risk), Perform (take action). The model is built so the steps follow naturally in that order, which is why it is taught as a sequence rather than a list.
Why Pilots Care
It gives pilots a repeatable mental checklist that reduces impulsive reactions and improves safety during in-flight decisions.
Analogy
Like mentally running a short checklist when something unexpected appears on the panel instead of guessing.
Grounding Statement
When something changes during a flight, the 3P model helps the pilot move from noticing the change to doing something useful about it.
Intuition Check
Do not read model here as a scale airplane or aircraft type. In this context, a model is a simple pattern for thinking and deciding.
Example Sentence 1
During the preflight briefing, the instructor walked the student through the 3P model to identify weather, aircraft, and pilot-related hazards before departure.
Example Sentence 2
During a simulated engine failure, the pilot applied the 3P model by first perceiving the loss of power, processing the best landing options, and performing a suitable forced landing procedure.