Plain English Meaning

Before flying, the pilot looks at everything outside themselves and the aircraft -- weather, terrain, airports, time of day -- and decides whether the conditions are safe to fly in.

Full Definition

The Environment element of the PAVE personal minimums checklist, in which the pilot evaluates external conditions that could affect the safety of a flight. This includes weather (current and forecast), terrain, airport conditions, runway length and surface, lighting, time of day, airspace, and other factors outside the pilot and the aircraft that influence risk.

Context Anchor

Used during preflight planning and flight risk reviews with the : , Aircraft, EnVironment, and .