Definition
The official document, produced by the aircraft manufacturer and approved by the FAA, that contains the operating limitations, procedures, performance data, and systems descriptions specific to a particular aircraft. The Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) is the regulatory document required to be on board for flight; the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) is the manufacturer's expanded version that, when it contains the FAA-approved AFM material, serves the same regulatory function. Both terms are commonly used interchangeably for newer aircraft where the POH includes the approved AFM content.
Plain English
It's the manufacturer's instruction book for that exact aircraft. It tells the pilot what the aircraft can and cannot do, how to operate its systems, and what numbers to use for things like takeoff distance and fuel burn.
Context Anchor
You use the AFM/POH when preparing for a flight, checking limits, reviewing procedures, or calculating whether the airplane can safely take off, climb, cruise, and land under the day’s conditions.
Why Pilots Care
The AFM/POH supplies the legally binding limitations and performance numbers you must follow; operating outside them violates regulations and can make the airplane unsafe.
Analogy
It is like an owner’s manual for a car, but more serious: parts of it set legal and safety limits the pilot must obey.
Intuition Check
Do not assume AFM and POH always mean two completely separate books. In many airplanes, the POH is the handbook format that includes the required AFM information the pilot must use.
Example Sentence 1
Before the cross-country, she checked the AFM/POH to confirm the takeoff distance for the field elevation and temperature.
Example Sentence 2
In an engine failure the pilot immediately opens the AFM/POH emergency checklist to follow the approved procedure for that airplane.