Definition
The official manufacturer-produced document that contains the operating limitations, procedures, performance data, weight and balance information, and systems descriptions for a specific airplane. The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) is the manufacturer's standard format used by general aviation manufacturers, while the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) is the FAA-approved document required to be carried in the aircraft. For most modern light airplanes, the POH and AFM are combined into a single document, which is why the two terms are commonly written together as POH/AFM.
Plain English
The book that comes with the airplane and tells the pilot how to operate it safely. It contains the rules, numbers, and procedures specific to that exact make and model.
Context Anchor
Before takeoff, pilots use the POH/AFM to confirm the correct settings, speeds, takeoff distance, weight limits, and emergency actions for the specific airplane they are flying.
Why Pilots Care
Every pilot must use the POH/AFM for their specific aircraft to determine safe operating speeds, takeoff and landing distances, and emergency actions; operating outside these limits violates regulations and compromises safety.
Intuition Check
Do not think of the POH/AFM as just a general owner's manual. In flying, it is the controlling source for how that specific airplane must be operated.
Example Sentence 1
Before the flight, the pilot opened the POH/AFM to check the takeoff distance for the current weight and temperature.
Example Sentence 2
During the before-takeoff flow, the pilot verified the fuel quantity against the limitations listed in the POH/AFM.