Plain English Meaning

The mental or emotional load you're carrying that can pull your focus away from flying. If your mind is full of other worries, you are not at your best in the cockpit.

Full Definition

In the IMSAFE self-assessment context, stress is the body's and mind's response to demands or pressures — physical, emotional, or mental — that can degrade a pilot's judgment, attention, and decision-making. It includes work or family pressure, financial worries, recent life events, and ongoing fatigue-related tension, any of which can reduce a pilot's fitness to fly even when no other physical symptoms are present.

Context Anchor

Used in the IMSAFE checklist during a pilot’s personal preflight check before deciding whether to fly.