FAA Sport Pilot Airplane (SPA)Human Factors and ADMHard
A pilot is evaluating a planned flight and considers two factors: how likely a hazard is to occur, and how severe the consequences would be if it did occur. Combining these two factors to categorize a hazard's overall risk level as low, medium, or high is the basic function of which risk management tool?
- AA risk assessment matrix
- BThe PAVE checklist
- CThe 5P model
- DThe IMSAFE checklist
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. A risk assessment matrix
A risk assessment matrix plots the likelihood of a hazardous event against the severity of its potential consequences to produce an overall risk rating, typically categorized as low, medium, or high (or similar levels). This tool helps pilots systematically decide whether a risk is acceptable or requires mitigation before flight.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. PAVE is a checklist for identifying risk categories (Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External pressures), not for scoring likelihood and severity.
- C. The 5P model (Plan, Plane, Pilot, Passengers, Programming) organizes situational factors but does not itself score likelihood versus severity.
- D. IMSAFE evaluates personal fitness to fly, not overall mission risk scoring.
Risk Assessment Matrix
A risk management tool that combines the likelihood of a hazard occurring with the severity of its potential consequences to determine an overall risk level.
- Likelihood ranges from improbable to frequent
- Severity ranges from negligible to catastrophic
- Combined result guides whether a risk is acceptable or must be mitigated before flight
Memory trick: Likely times bad equals the risk you should avoid.