Definition
A systematic mental process by which a pilot identifies a situation, gathers and evaluates relevant information, considers alternative courses of action, selects one, and acts on it -- then reviews the outcome and adjusts as needed. In aviation training, it is taught as a structured skill rather than left to instinct, because flight decisions often must be made quickly with incomplete information and significant consequences.
Plain English
The step-by-step way a pilot works out what to do: notice what's happening, look at the facts, weigh the options, choose one, do it, then check how it turned out.
Context Anchor
Used in pilot training, preflight planning, and in-flight situations where a pilot must choose what to do next.
Derivation
Decision comes from a Latin word meaning “to cut off,” in the sense of settling on one choice and leaving the others. Process comes from a Latin word meaning “to move forward.” Together, the phrase points to a step-by-step movement from an unclear situation to a chosen action.
Why Pilots Care
Consistent use of this process helps prevent accidents that result from rushed or incomplete thinking under pressure.
Grounding Statement
If the weather, fuel, or aircraft condition changes, the decision-making process is the step-by-step way the pilot decides what to do next.
Intuition Check
Do not read decision-making process as simply “going with your gut” or making one big choice. In this FAA training context, it means using a deliberate series of steps to reach and check a safe decision.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor walked the student through the decision-making process for handling an unexpected weather change during cross-country flight.
Example Sentence 2
The instructor reviewed the decision-making process with the student after a simulated engine failure to reinforce safe choices.