Definition
The structured process of identifying hazards associated with a flight, evaluating the likelihood and severity of each, and deciding whether and how to proceed based on that evaluation. In aviation, it is performed before flight and continuously updated during flight as conditions change.
Plain English
Looking at everything that could go wrong on a flight, deciding how serious each item is, and making a clear call about whether the flight can be done safely and what needs to be done to manage the risks.
Context Anchor
Used during preflight planning, before takeoff, and anytime conditions change during a flight.
Derivation
From Italian risco (danger) and Latin assidere (to sit beside, to assess). The original sense of 'assess' is to sit alongside something and judge it carefully — which is exactly what a pilot does with each hazard before flying.
Why Pilots Care
It turns vague worry into concrete actions that prevent many common accidents by forcing pilots to address hazards before they become emergencies.
Intuition Check
Risk assessment does not mean looking for a reason to cancel every flight. It means making a clear judgment about the risks and choosing a safe way to handle them.
Example Sentence 1
After completing his risk assessment, the pilot decided to delay departure by two hours to let the low ceilings lift.
Example Sentence 2
During the flight the pilot continued risk assessment when unexpected turbulence appeared and chose a lower altitude to reduce exposure.