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trip—or you might decide that it is safest to wait until the next day—the chart in Figure 8-9  suggests that you should at least raise your baseline personal minimums by adding 1,000 feet to your ceiling value; one mile to visibility, and 1,000 feet to required runway length. 

How about adjustments in the other direction? Some pilots fear that establishing personal minimums is a once and-for-all exercise. With time and experience, though, you can modify personal minimums to match growing skill and judgment. When you have comfortably flown to your baseline personal minimums for several months, you might want to sit down and assess whether and how to push the envelope safely. If, for instance, your personal minimums call for daytime visibility of at least five miles, and you have developed some solid experience flying in those conditions, you might consider lowering the visibility value to four miles for your next flight. 

There are two important cautions: 

1. Never adjust personal minimums to a lower value for a specific flight. The time to consider adjustments is when you are not under any pressure to fly, and when you have the time and objectivity to think honestly about your skill, performance, and comfort level during last the few flights. Changing personal minimums “on the fly” defeats the purpose of having them in the first place. 

2. Keep all other variables constant. For example, if your goal is to lower your baseline personal minimums for visibility, don’t try to lower the ceiling, wind, or other values at the same time. In addition, you never want to push the baseline if there are special conditions (e.g., unfamiliar aircraft, pilot fatigue) present for this flight. You might find it helpful to talk through both your newly established personal minimums and any “push-the-envelope” plans with a well-qualified flight instructor. 

## Step 6—Stick to the Plan! 

Once you have done all the thinking required to establish baseline personal minimums, all you need to do next is stick to the plan. As most pilots know, that task is a lot harder than it sounds, especially when the flight is for a trip that you really want to make, or when you are staring into the faces of your disappointed passengers. Here’s where personal minimums can be an especially valuable tool. Professional pilots live by the numbers, and so should you. Pre-established hard numbers can make it a lot easier to make a smart no go or divert decision than a vague sense that you can “probably” deal with the conditions that you are facing at any given time. In addition, a written set of personal minimums can also make it easier to explain tough decisions to passengers who are, after all, trusting their lives to your aeronautical skill and judgment. 

## Chapter Summary 

General aviation pilots enjoy a level of responsibility and freedom unique in aviation. Unlike the air carrier, corporate, and military communities, most GA pilots are free to fly when and where they choose. They are unencumbered by the strict regulatory structure that governs many other flight operations. However, the GA pilot is not supported by a staff of dispatchers and meteorologists, or governed by rigid operational guidelines designed to reduce risk. Pilots should not be lulled into a false sense of security simply because they are in compliance with the regulations. Judgment and aeronautical decision-making serve as the bridge between regulatory compliance and safety. Deciding if or when to undertake any flight lies solely with the pilot in command (PIC). GA pilots should remember that FAA regulations designed to prevent accidents and incidents come out AFTER the accident or incident. 

A copy of the charts used in this chapter can be found in Appendix B. Pilots are encouraged to make a copy of this appendix, complete applicable charts, and use them prior to each flight. 

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