FAA Sport Pilot Airplane (SPA)Human Factors and ADMEasy
During preflight self-assessment, a sport pilot notices they have a slight sore throat and stuffy nose from a cold. According to the IMSAFE checklist, which factor should prompt the pilot to evaluate their fitness to fly?
- AMedication
- BIllness
- CFatigue
- DStress
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Illness
A cold is a physical illness that can impair judgment, cause discomfort, and lead to problems such as blocked sinuses at altitude, making the 'I' (Illness) item of IMSAFE the relevant self-check.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Medication concerns drugs, not the underlying cold itself.
- C. Fatigue relates to tiredness, not physical sickness.
- D. Stress relates to psychological pressure, not physical illness.
IMSAFE Checklist
A personal self-assessment checklist pilots use before flight to evaluate physical and mental fitness.
- Stands for Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Eating
- Used as a personal go/no-go tool before every flight
- A single 'no-go' item should prompt reconsideration of the flight
Memory trick: I'm Safe to fly only if I check all six letters.