Definition
In the 5P checklist used in Single-Pilot Resource Management, the Plan is the first P. It refers to the overall mission of the flight: the route, weather, fuel, alternates, NOTAMs, and any other elements that make up the intended conduct of the flight from departure to arrival. The Plan is reviewed and updated repeatedly during the flight, not just once before takeoff.
Plain English
The Plan is everything you intend to do on this flight — where you are going, how you are getting there, the weather you expect, the fuel you have, and your backup options. It is the first item the pilot checks at each decision point in the 5P check.
Context Anchor
Used during preflight planning and repeated in flight as part of the 5P check: the Plan, the Plane, the Pilot, the Passengers, and the Programming.
Derivation
Plan comes through French from a Latin word meaning flat or level. It came to mean a drawing or map laid out on a flat surface, then an arranged course of action. In aviation, the Plan is the arranged course for the flight, not just a piece of paperwork.
Why Pilots Care
A flight rarely goes exactly as briefed. Treating the Plan as a living thing — something to re-check at every key point — helps the pilot catch changes in weather, fuel burn, or routing before they become a problem.
Intuition Check
Do not assume the Plan means only the filed flight plan or the route line on a map. In the 5P check, it means the whole intended flight and whether that intention still matches the real conditions.
Example Sentence 1
Approaching the top of descent, the pilot ran the 5P check and started with the Plan, confirming the arrival routing and current weather at the destination.
Example Sentence 2
When weather deteriorates, the pilot updates the Plan to include a new alternate airport.