Definition
Any condition, limitation, or factor relating to the pilot that could contribute to an unsafe flight. In the PAVE checklist, the pilot element covers physical readiness (illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue, food/eating), recency and currency of experience, proficiency in the aircraft and operation, and overall fitness to act as pilot in command for the flight planned.
Plain English
A risk that comes from the pilot themselves — how they feel, how recent their flying is, how skilled they are for this particular trip, and whether they are truly fit to fly today.
Context Anchor
Used during preflight risk review, especially in the PAVE checklist: Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, and External pressures.
Derivation
“Hazard” comes from an old word connected with chance or risk. In aviation, a hazard is not the accident itself; it is the condition that could help lead to one if it is not handled.
Why Pilots Care
Identifying pilot hazards early allows corrective action that directly reduces accident risk and supports safe go/no-go decisions.
Intuition Check
Do not read “pilot hazard” as meaning the pilot is dangerous or careless. It means there is a risk factor connected to the pilot’s condition, readiness, or pressure level that should be addressed before flight.
Example Sentence 1
Reviewing the pilot hazards before departure, she realised that fatigue from an early start combined with a head cold made the flight unwise, and she postponed it.
Example Sentence 2
During preflight planning the instructor asked the student to list any pilot hazards present that day.