Definition
In aviation risk management, mitigation is the deliberate action taken to reduce the likelihood or severity of an identified hazard before or during a flight. It does not mean eliminating the risk entirely; it means lowering it to an acceptable level through a specific countermeasure such as adjusting the route, delaying departure, adding fuel reserves, or removing a contributing factor.
Plain English
Doing something to make a known risk smaller or less harmful. You can't always remove the danger, but you can take steps to reduce its impact.
Context Anchor
Seen in risk management discussions such as the PAVE checklist, where a pilot identifies a risk and then decides what to do about it.
Derivation
From the Latin mitigare, meaning 'to soften' or 'to make mild.' In aviation, you are softening the impact of a risk -- not erasing it, but making it less harsh.
Why Pilots Care
Effective mitigation turns identified hazards into manageable factors, allowing safer flight decisions instead of unnecessary cancellations or exposure to danger.
Analogy
Mitigation is like wearing a seat belt before driving. It does not remove every danger on the road, but it reduces how bad the outcome may be if something goes wrong.
Intuition Check
Mitigation does not mean pretending the risk is gone. It means taking a real action that reduces the risk or makes its result less severe.
Example Sentence 1
After noting strong crosswinds at the destination, the pilot chose mitigation by selecting a runway better aligned with the wind.
Example Sentence 2
After spotting fatigue as a risk factor, the pilot applied mitigation by postponing departure until rested.