Definition
The Aircraft Flight Manual is the official, FAA-approved document prepared by the aircraft manufacturer that contains the operating limitations, procedures, performance data, and systems information specific to a particular aircraft. It is required to be on board the aircraft during flight, and the pilot is legally required to operate the aircraft in accordance with its contents.
Plain English
The official handbook for a specific aircraft, written by the manufacturer and approved by the FAA. It tells the pilot how the aircraft must be flown, what its limits are, and how it performs. It must be carried in the aircraft and followed.
Context Anchor
Pilots use the AFM when checking limitations, procedures, loading information, and performance before or during flight planning.
Why Pilots Care
The AFM supplies the legally binding limits and procedures; operating outside them can make a flight unsafe or illegal.
Analogy
It is somewhat like an owner’s manual for the airplane, but with an important difference: parts of the AFM are officially approved and must be followed.
Intuition Check
Do not assume an AFM is a general flying textbook. It is the approved operating manual for a particular aircraft type, and often for a specific aircraft configuration.
Example Sentence 1
Before the flight, she opened the AFM to confirm the maximum crosswind component for landing.
Example Sentence 2
The AFM showed the maximum takeoff weight permitted for the day's temperature and altitude.