Definition
A document produced by the aircraft manufacturer that contains the specific operating procedures, performance data, limitations, weight and balance information, systems descriptions, and emergency procedures for a particular make, model, and serial number of aircraft. For aircraft certified after March 1, 1979, the POH is typically also the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual (AFM), or contains the AFM as a section within it.
Plain English
The official book from the aircraft's manufacturer that tells the pilot exactly how to operate that specific airplane -- how it performs, what its limits are, how its systems work, and what to do in an emergency.
Context Anchor
A pilot uses the POH during training, preflight planning, performance calculations, emergency review, and whenever an airplane-specific limit or procedure must be checked.
Why Pilots Care
The POH provides the only legally binding performance numbers and operating limitations for that specific aircraft; flying outside those limits can void airworthiness and lead to loss of control or regulatory violation.
Intuition Check
Do not think of the POH as just a casual owner's manual. In aviation, the POH is the airplane-specific source a pilot uses for safe operating limits, procedures, and performance information.
Example Sentence 1
Before the cross-country flight, she pulled out the POH to calculate takeoff distance for the density altitude at the destination airport.
Example Sentence 2
During the engine failure after takeoff, the pilot followed the exact procedure listed in the aircraft's POH.