Definition
In the PAVE checklist, an environment hazard is any risk arising from the conditions in which the flight will take place — weather, terrain, airspace, airport conditions, lighting, and time of day — that could degrade safety if not identified and managed before or during flight.
Plain English
Anything outside the pilot and the aircraft that could make the flight harder or riskier — like bad weather, mountains, busy airspace, a short runway, or flying at night.
Context Anchor
Used in the PAVE checklist when the pilot looks at the flight environment before deciding whether the flight is safe to start or continue.
Derivation
Environment comes from an older French word meaning “to surround.” Hazard originally meant a chance or risk. Together, the words point to risks that come from the conditions surrounding the flight.
Why Pilots Care
Recognizing environment hazards allows pilots to decide whether conditions are safe, whether to delay departure, or whether to change the route or destination.
Intuition Check
Do not read “environment” here as only nature or weather. In this checklist, it means the whole operating setting around the flight, including airports, terrain, airspace, light, and weather.
Example Sentence 1
Reviewing the environment hazards for the cross-country, the student noted low ceilings forecast along the route and a short, unlit runway at the destination.
Example Sentence 2
Strong crosswinds at the short mountain runway were identified as an environment hazard during the PAVE review.