Definition
In aviation crew resource management, internal resources are the people, information, and equipment available inside the aircraft that a pilot can draw on to operate safely and make sound decisions. This includes the pilot's own knowledge and skill, any other crewmembers or qualified passengers, checklists, aircraft manuals, onboard instruments and avionics, and the aircraft systems themselves.
Plain English
Everything useful that is already inside the aircraft with you — your own training, the people on board, the checklists and manuals, and the instruments and systems in the cockpit.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation instructor and pilot decision-making discussions, especially when teaching pilots how to manage workload and use all available help during flight.
Derivation
"Internal" comes from the Latin internus, meaning "inside." In this context it simply means resources located inside the aircraft, as opposed to external resources such as ATC, flight service, or dispatch.
Why Pilots Care
Knowing how to use internal resources helps pilots handle unexpected situations when external help is unavailable.
Intuition Check
Do not read internal resources as only “mental resources” inside the pilot’s head. In this FAA context, it means all useful help available inside the aircraft, including the pilot, equipment, documents, and people on board.
Example Sentence 1
Before troubleshooting the rough-running engine, the pilot used available internal resources by referring to the checklist and asking the qualified passenger to read out the engine instruments.
Example Sentence 2
Single-pilot operations require strong use of internal resources during high-workload phases of flight.