Definition
A document produced by the aircraft manufacturer that contains the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual information for a specific make, model, and serial number of aircraft. The POH provides operating procedures, performance data, weight and balance information, systems descriptions, limitations, and emergency procedures required to operate that particular airplane safely and legally.
Plain English
The official book that comes with the airplane and tells the pilot how to fly it, what it can and can't do, and what to do if something goes wrong. Each handbook is written for one specific aircraft and contains the numbers, procedures, and limits that apply only to that airplane.
Context Anchor
Pilots use the POH during aircraft checkout, preflight planning, performance planning, and anytime they need the official information for a specific airplane.
Why Pilots Care
It supplies the legally binding operating limitations and procedures that pilots must follow to keep the flight safe and compliant with regulations.
Analogy
A POH is like an owner’s manual for an airplane, but more important: it contains operating limits and procedures that affect safety and legality.
Intuition Check
Do not treat a POH as a general flying textbook. A POH is tied to a particular aircraft type, and the pilot uses it for the official information needed to operate that aircraft correctly.
Example Sentence 1
Before takeoff from the high-elevation airport, the pilot opened the POH to calculate the required runway length for the current weight and temperature.
Example Sentence 2
Before the checkride the instructor asked the student to locate the emergency procedures in the POH.