## Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM) 

Aeronautical decision-making (ADM) is a mental process used by pilots (systematically) to determine a course of action in response to a given set of circumstances. 

• Circumstance: My oxygen system has a slow leak. Soaring conditions are prefect and I do not need oxygen for today. 

• Circumstance: High winds are forecast later today, but I should return before the wind changes. 

• Circumstance: My batteries are low, but I am only planning a short flight. 

Learning effective ADM skills cannot be overemphasized. As advancement in training methods, airplane equipment and systems, and services continue for pilots, incidents and accidents still occur. Despite all the changes in technology to improve flight safety, the human factor is the same. The human factor is still involved in a high percent of all aviation accidents. 

Circumstances as mundane as a “slow oxygen leak,” a “high wind forecast,” or “low batteries” are parts of a decision chain leading to an incident or accident. The term “pilot error” has been used to describe the causes of these accidents meaning that an action or decision made by the pilot was the cause or a contributing factor that led to the accident. In the previous circumstances, the chain is broken if the pilot—has the “slow oxygen leak” repaired—respects the “high wind forecast” and delays the flight—charges the “low batteries” before the next flight. The pilot error definition also includes the pilot’s failure to make a decision or take action. Human factor-related accidents are accidents that did not involve a single decision but a chain of decision and factors leading to the accident. A “poor judgment chain,” referred to as the error chain, describe the concept of contributing factors in a human factors-related accident. Breaking one link in the chain normally is all that is necessary to change the outcome of the sequence of events. 

Advisory Circular (AC) 60-22, “Aeronautical Decision Making,” provides introductory material, background information, and reference material on ADM. The material in this AC provides a systematic approach to risk assessment and stress management in aviation, illustrates how personal attitudes can influence decision-making, and how those attitudes can be modified to enhance safety in the cockpit. This AC also provides instructors with methods for teaching ADM techniques and skills in conjunction with conventional flight instruction. 

