Plain English Meaning

Everything a pilot does before getting in the aircraft and flying — checking the airplane, the paperwork, the weather, the route, the weight, and themselves — to make sure the flight can be made safely.

Full Definition

The set of inspections, checks, and preparatory actions a pilot performs before flight to confirm that the aircraft, paperwork, weather, route, weight and balance, and pilot fitness are all acceptable for the intended flight. In a training context, preflight procedures also refer to the lesson area covering how to plan a flight and prepare an aircraft for safe operation.

Context Anchor

A pilot encounters preflight procedures before every flight, during planning, aircraft inspection, cockpit setup, and final readiness checks.