Definition
A level of risk that has been identified, evaluated, and judged tolerable in light of the operational benefit gained, after available controls have been applied to reduce it as far as practical.
Plain English
A risk you have looked at honestly and decided is low enough to live with, given what you are trying to accomplish and after doing what you reasonably can to reduce it.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in aviation risk management, especially when deciding whether to start, continue, change, or cancel a flight or training activity.
Derivation
From Latin acceptare (to receive, take willingly). In risk management, 'acceptable' does not mean 'safe' or 'risk-free' — it means the remaining risk has been consciously received and agreed to after evaluation.
Why Pilots Care
It gives pilots a clear standard for deciding whether a flight can continue safely after evaluating hazards and applying controls.
Grounding Statement
Acceptable risk is the leftover danger you knowingly choose to live with after you have done what you reasonably can to reduce it.
Intuition Check
Acceptable risk does not mean “safe,” “harmless,” or “automatically okay.” It means the remaining risk has been recognized and judged tolerable for this specific situation.
Example Sentence 1
After reviewing the weather, fuel reserves, and his recent experience, the pilot determined that the crosswind landing represented an acceptable risk for the planned training flight.
Example Sentence 2
The student pilot learned that a minor crosswind can be an acceptable risk when proper technique and runway selection are used.