Definition
In the FAA's three-step aeronautical decision-making (ADM) process for risk management, Step 2 is the stage where the pilot identifies the specific hazards and associated risks present for the planned flight. After Step 1 (identifying the situation or task), the pilot examines each element — pilot, aircraft, environment, and external pressures — to find what could go wrong and how serious or likely each risk is.
Plain English
It's the second part of a three-part safety check pilots use before and during a flight. In this step, the pilot looks at everything involved in the flight and writes down what could cause trouble.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA handbook procedures, especially when a navigation, planning, or calculation task is broken into numbered actions.
Derivation
Step comes from an old word meaning a movement made with the foot. Its meaning widened to include one action in a sequence, which is how it is used here.
Why Pilots Care
Skipping or rushing this step is one of the most common ways pilots end up surprised in flight. Naming the risks out loud — or on paper — turns vague unease into specific items the pilot can actually do something about.
Intuition Check
Step 2 is not a special aviation term by itself. It simply means the second action in the procedure being shown.
Example Sentence 1
During Step 2, the pilot noted that the forecast crosswind exceeded their personal minimums, flagging it as a significant risk for the flight.
Example Sentence 2
Step 2 of the emergency procedure calls for establishing best glide speed.