Plain English Meaning

Only go ahead with a flight when what you stand to gain is worth more than what could go wrong. If the danger outweighs the reason for flying, don't accept the risk.

Full Definition

One of the four foundational principles of risk management. It states that a pilot should proceed with a flight or activity only when the expected benefits clearly exceed the potential costs of the identified risks. The principle requires the pilot to weigh the value of completing the flight against the likelihood and severity of harm, and to accept the risk only when that balance favors going.

Context Anchor

Used during go/no-go decisions, flight planning, training decisions, and any moment when a pilot or instructor weighs whether a flight action is worth the possible downside.

Derivation

Risk comes from older European words connected with danger or possible loss. Benefit means a result or advantage. Cost does not only mean money here; it means what could be lost, damaged, delayed, or made unsafe. That helps the meaning: the decision is a comparison between expected advantage and possible harm.