Definition
An FAA-approved document, prepared by the manufacturer for a specific airplane, that contains the operating limitations, procedures, performance data, and other information required for the safe operation of that aircraft. It is required to be on board the airplane during flight when specified by the certification basis of that airplane.
Plain English
The official handbook for a specific airplane, written by the company that built it and approved by the FAA. It tells the pilot how that airplane must be flown, what it can and cannot do, and the rules that apply to it.
Context Anchor
You encounter the Airplane Flight Manual during preflight planning, training, aircraft checkout, weight-and-balance work, and when checking the airplane’s approved operating limits.
Why Pilots Care
The AFM establishes the legal operating limits for that specific aircraft; flying outside those limits violates regulations and can make the flight unsafe.
Intuition Check
Do not treat “manual” here as just a helpful instruction book. An Airplane Flight Manual is the approved operating source for that airplane, and its limits and procedures matter for safe and legal flight.
Example Sentence 1
Before takeoff, the pilot reviewed the Airplane Flight Manual to confirm the maximum takeoff weight and the recommended flap setting for a short-field departure.
Example Sentence 2
During the emergency descent, she followed the exact procedure listed in the Airplane Flight Manual.