Plain English Meaning
A pilot's urge to show off or prove they can handle anything, which leads them to take risks they shouldn't. The fix is to remind yourself that taking chances is foolish.
Full Definition
One of the five hazardous attitudes identified by the FAA in aeronautical decision-making. The macho attitude is the tendency of a pilot to try to prove they are better than others by taking risks or attempting maneuvers beyond their skill or the aircraft's capability, often to impress themselves or others. The FAA antidote for this attitude is the statement: 'Taking chances is foolish.'
Context Anchor
Seen in aeronautical decision-making and flight instructor discussions about recognizing unsafe pilot attitudes before they lead to bad choices.
Derivation
From Spanish 'macho,' meaning 'male,' which entered English to describe aggressive or showy displays of . The FAA borrowed the everyday sense of the word to label a -taking in pilots.