Plain English Meaning

A short personal checklist a pilot runs through before flying to make sure they themselves are in good enough shape to fly safely. It covers six areas of human condition that can quietly make a pilot unsafe without them noticing.

Full Definition

A personal pre-flight self-assessment checklist used by pilots to evaluate their own fitness to fly. Each letter prompts the pilot to honestly check one area that can degrade performance: Illness (am I sick?), Medication (am I taking anything that affects me?), Stress (am I under pressure from work, family, finances?), Alcohol (have I had any recently, and is enough time clear?), Fatigue (am I rested enough?), and (am I emotionally settled, not grieving, angry, or distracted?). If any item raises a concern, the pilot is expected to delay or cancel the flight.