Federal Aviation

Administration

Best Practices 

for Mentoring in 

Flight Instruction rev 160120
Best Practices for Mentoring in Aviation Education

v 1.2 160120

Best Practices for Mentoring

in Aviation Education

Acknowledgements

Introduction

What Is Mentoring?

Definition

Roles & Responsibilities

Mentoring Process

Mentoring New Instrument Pilots

Mentoring New Flight Instructors

Appendices

1. Mentor Contract for IFR

2. IFR Flight Planning Flow Chart

3. IFR Flight Planning Analysis

4. Local/Seasonal Factors Worksheet

5. Mentor Contract for CFI

6. Personal Minimums Development Worksheet
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Acknowledgements

This document has been developed with assistance, contributions, and suggestions from 

a number of general aviation pilots and flight instructors. Special thanks are due to Barb 

Adams, FAA; Bob Conyers, Global Aerospace; Mike Gilbert, Aviation Adventures; Sandy 

and JoAnn Hill, National Association of Flight Instructors; Michael Lenz, FAA; Lindsey 

McFarren, NATA; Arlynn McMahon, Aero-Tech Incorporated; and members of the 

General Aviation Joint Steering Committee’s Personal Aviation Subgroup.

It is intended to be a living document that incorporates comments, suggestions, and 

ideas for best practices from GA instructors like you. Please direct comments and ideas 

for future iterations to: susan.parson@faa.gov.

Happy – and safe – flying! [back]
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I. Introduction

Most pilot certificates are issued with advice that the 

hard-won document is only a “license to learn.” Newly 

certificated pilots are then dispatched into the real world 

to learn through their own experience. While there is 

ultimately no substitute for experience, too many pilots 

come to grief because the lessons of experience are 

harsh and sometimes fatal.

The tests of experience – given, as the saying goes, 

before rather than after the lesson – are especially 

challenging for two specific pilot groups. The first is new 

instrument pilots. With instrument rating in hand, the 

newly certificated instrument pilot can legally fly alone in 

conditions that would challenge the most seasoned 

professionals – perhaps without having even experienced flight in instrument 

meteorological conditions (IMC).

There are also special challenges for the newly certificated, but inexperienced, flight 

instructor (CFI). The CFI performs one of the most vital and influential roles in aviation

and, just as in medicine, the work can have life and death consequences. But while the 

medical profession uses internship and residency programs to provide supervised real 

world training for newly graduated MDs, newly certificated flight instructors – like new 

instrument pilots – are mostly left to learn on their own.

Many professions besides medicine use forms of mentoring to help newly-trained novices 

transition from real-world application of “book” knowledge and basic skills. Teacher 

certification boards require a stint of student teaching that pairs the novice with an 

experienced classroom instructor for both observation and supervised application of 

knowledge and skills. Mentoring in aviation generally takes place in the airline 

environment, which pairs experienced pilots with junior crew members.

Unfortunately, general aviation (GA) instrument pilots and flight instructors do not 

typically have regular or structured opportunities to fly with more experienced aviators. 

Because such opportunities could provide a major safety benefit to the GA community, 

this guide provides ideas and suggested mentoring practices that instructors and flight 

schools can use to help bridge the gap between training and experience. [back]
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II. What is Mentoring?

A. Definitions

At its most basic level, mentoring is a process in which an individual with more 

experience or expertise provides encouragement, advice, and support to a less 

experienced colleague, with the goal of helping the person being mentored learn 

something that he or she would have learned more slowly, less effectively, or not at all if 

left alone (Managers as Mentors by Chip Bell). As defined by Margo Murray in Beyond 

the Myths and Magic of Mentoring, mentoring is the 

(D)eliberate pairing of a more skilled or experienced person with a lesser skilled 

or experienced one, with the agreed-upon goal of having the lesser skilled person 

grow and develop specific competencies.

Mentoring can be formal or informal. Aviation 

instructors and schools who seek to offer structured

and personalized transitional experience to their 

newly-certificated instrument pilots and novice flight 

instructors may want to consider establishing a formal 

program. Such a program may involve both a 

structured transitional experience syllabus and the 

opportunity to work through it in consultation with a 

trained and standardized mentor pilot. [back]

B. Roles & Responsibilities

Specific mentoring topics and activities are covered in the next sections, but since the 

mentor pilot is key, it is vital to ensure that those selected for such a role have the “right 

stuff” for the job. To be effective, a good mentor should have:

 Substantial experience that is relevant to the needs and goals of the mentored 

pilot. For example, an airline pilot will clearly have substantial experience, but if his 

or her recent experience consists entirely of flying high-performance airliners in a 

crew environment, it will not necessarily be relevant to someone flying single-pilot 

IMC in a typical GA aircraft.

 Good “bedside manner.” The ideal mentor pilot has a friendly, affirming, nonjudgmental manner and seeks to be of service. He or she respects the mentored 

pilot’s privacy and feelings.
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 Strong communication skills. The mentor pilot must be a good listener, with the 

ability to zero in on key issues of interest/concern to the mentored pilot. The 

mentor pilot’s ability to formulate appropriate questions is critical. For example, a

mentor working with a new instrument pilot trying to make a go/no-go decision 

might ask the mentored pilot to talk about how actual and forecast weather 

conditions relate to his or her personal minimums for ceiling/visibility, winds, 

performance, and other considerations.

 Understanding of the mentor’s role. The mentor pilot should clearly understand 

that the goal of mentoring is not to “instruct,” but rather to provide “scaffolding” 

that supports and guides the mentored pilot’s own efforts to apply knowledge and 

skills to real situations. Although someone mentoring a new flight instructor should 

ideally be an experienced CFI, a mentor pilot does not necessarily need to have flight 

instructor qualifications. Far more important is the ability to provide “scaffolding” 

support through formulating good questions, listening carefully to the mentored 

pilot’s response, and offering appropriate feedback. Some of the best mentoring 

can take place during informal conversations on the ground.

 Understanding of the pilot’s goals. To provide the kind of support and guidance 

that the mentored pilot most needs, the mentor must understand how the aircraft is 

to be used (i.e., recreational flying for fun, personal transportation for business or 

pleasure, professional operation).

 Mutual understanding of responsibilities. Both individuals should have a clear 

understanding of responsibilities – and liabilities – in the mentoring relationship. In 

general, the mentored pilot should always be PIC. 

 Personal connection. Experience with mentoring in aviation and other professions 

strongly suggests that the most effective mentor is one who can establish and 

maintain a long-term personal connection to the mentored pilot.

General guidelines for mentor pilots:

 Listen to the full story (who, what, when and where). 

 Ask what assistance the pilot needs from you.

 Help the pilot define the issue, prioritize concerns, and decide what additional 

information is needed to make a decision.

 Remember that you are only a resource; the final decision rests with the PIC.

 Affirm the pilot’s decision (e.g., “...based on everything we’ve talked about, I believe

that you’ve made a smart decision. If you need to talk more later, I’ll be here.”)

 Follow up with the pilot later on. Having the pilot describe and reflect on what 

actually happened is essential to building the kind of critical thinking, selfassessment skill, and judgment that you are helping to develop through structured 

experience. courtesy of AeroTech Incorporated [back]
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III. The Mentoring Process

A. Mentoring for New Instrument Pilots

While aviation has come a long way since Kitty Hawk, one thing that has unfortunately 

not improved as much is the role that weather plays in fatal airplane accidents. Despite 

the broad availability of weather information, weather is still the factor most likely to 

result in accidents with fatalities. Ironically, the very abundance of weather information 

might be part of the challenge: with many weather providers and weather products, it 

can be very difficult for new instrument pilots to screen out non-essential data, focus on 

key facts, and then correctly evaluate the risk resulting from a given set of 

circumstances.

Accordingly, a mentor pilot working with a newly-rated instrument pilot can be of 

particular assistance in two key areas: building the pilot’s weather understanding, and 

helping the pilot apply that knowledge to specific flights. The document in Appendix 1 

provides a suggested basic framework for structuring a mentoring agreement for new 

IFR pilots. back]

Understanding Weather Information

Personal minimums. One of the most important things that a mentor pilot can do is to 

help the newly rated instrument pilot develop individual personal minimums, which can 

be presented as the human factors equivalent of reserve fuel. Just as reserve fuel is 

intended to provide a safety buffer between fuel required and fuel available, personal 

minimums should be set so as to provide a safety buffer between the skills/performance

required for the specific flight, and the skills/performance available through training, 

experience, currency, proficiency, and equipment.

Mentor Pilot Action: For a step-by-step guide to developing personal minimums, 

see the worksheet in Appendix 6.

Flight planning flow chart. The worksheet in Appendix 2 offers “at-a-glance” guidance 

on using and integrating some of the resources available to today’s instrument pilots 

(e.g. ADDS, Flight Service, weather datalink)

Mentor Pilot Action: For a specific trip, perhaps the first trip in IMC, help the 

mentored pilot work through the steps listed in the flight planning flow chart. 

Help the new instrument pilot develop the habit of explicitly listing the following 

items for each flight in MVFR or IFR conditions:
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 Escape options: Is there good weather within the aircraft’s range and 

endurance capability? Where is it? Which direction do you turn to get 

there? How long will it take to get there?

 Reserve fuel: Flight planning for only a legal fuel reserve could 

significantly limit your options if the weather deteriorates. More fuel 

means access to more alternatives.

 Terrain avoidance: Know how low you can go without encountering 

terrain and/or obstacles.

 Passenger plan: Encourage the pilot to brief passengers on personal 

minimums and weather conditions that will require cancellation or 

diversion to an alternate.

Declutter: Formal aviation training on weather can overwhelm a new instrument

pilot, so the mentor pilot can assist by helping the mentored pilot “declutter” and 

focus on key points. GA pilots primarily need to know that the three basic elements 

of weather (temperature, wind, and moisture) combine to create conditions that 

affect GA operations in three ways. Specifically, they can:

 Reduce visibility (clouds and precipitation)

 Impact controllability (winds, turbulence)

 Reduce aircraft performance (density altitude, icing)

One approach to practical weather analysis is to review weather data in terms of how 

current and forecast conditions will affect visibility, turbulence, and aircraft 

performance for the mentored pilot’s specific flight.

Mentor Pilot Action: Help the pilot complete the Appendix 3 worksheet for a 

specific flight. Encourage the new instrument pilot to develop the habit of 

comparing each of the conditions to the corresponding section of his or her 

individual personal minimums worksheet.

Regional/seasonal specifics. While formal aviation weather training necessarily takes a 

broad approach, US weather patterns vary widely. A mentor pilot with instrument flying 

experience in a particular region can provide invaluable advice and counsel to new 

instrument pilots. In the mid-Atlantic region, for example, thick haze is common during 

the summer months. Coastal regions may have common fog formation patterns well 

known to experienced instrument pilots in the region.

Mentor Pilot Action: Using the worksheet in Appendix 4, create a list of the 

regional and seasonal weather features specific to your area, and discuss this list 

in detail with the new instrument pilot. Consider developing a packet of 

information specific to each season’s flying in your area.
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Applying Weather Information

For a variety of reasons, many pilots obtain an instrument rating with little or no 

experience in actual IMC. Consequently, one of the most valuable services an 

experienced IFR mentor pilot can offer a newly-rated instrument pilot is advice and 

support while he or she logs the first 10-15 hours in IMC.

IFR ramp-up syllabus: While most pilots would agree with the concept of easing into 

IMC conditions, newly-rated instrument pilots may not have a good grasp of how to put 

it into practice. The experienced IFR mentor pilot can assist by helping the pilot develop 

an IFR “ramp-up” plan. Although the new instrument pilot will probably be eager to put 

the rating to use for specific “real-world” reasons (e.g., take the family on vacation or fly 

colleagues on a business trip), the mentor should encourage the pilot to first complete 

the agreed “post graduate” program. In this respect, counseling patience and selfdiscipline is one of the mentor pilot’s most crucial (and, perhaps, most challenging) 

tasks.

Basic sample guidelines for an IFR post-graduate ramp-up syllabus appear below, but 

the mentor pilot should help tailor them specifically to the pilot’s needs and personal 

minimums. The personalized ramp-up syllabus should address and accommodate 

regional and seasonal characteristics of the pilot’s likely operating area. To the greatest 

possible extent, it should also take into account the mentored pilot’s goals for IFR flying. 

Among other things, the mentor pilot might help the new instrument pilot look for 

weather conditions that meet goals on the IFR post-graduate syllabus.

Sample guidelines for IFR “ramp-up” syllabus:

 File IFR on all flights to get comfortable with procedures.

o First solo IFR trip should be no worse than MVFR – 1,000 and 3.

o Stretch to 500 and 2 for day IFR after becoming comfortable with MVFR. 

o Keep night IFR at 500 and 3.

o Never intentionally take off with 200/1 anywhere along the route. 

 Consider 200/1 only after 6 months and 50 hours of time in instrument 

meteorological conditions (IMC)

 If you have not logged at least 10 hours of IMC in the 6-month period, get an IPC. 

 Update weather, plan and profile at the top of each hour.

courtesy of AeroTech Incorporated

[back]
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Safely stretching personal minimums.

Another valuable service the mentor pilot can provide is guidance for expanding the 

mentored pilot’s personal minimums envelope to match growing experience, skill, and 

judgment. For example, after the new instrument pilot has comfortably flown in 

accordance with baseline personal minimums for several months, you might want to sit 

down together and assess whether and how to safely push the envelope. If, for 

instance, the pilot’s personal minimums call for daytime visibility of at least 5 miles, and 

he or she has developed some solid experience flying in those conditions, it is 

appropriate to consider lowering the visibility value to 4 miles for the next flight. Two 

important cautions:

 First, stress that the pilot should never adjust personal minimums to a lower value 

for a specific flight. The time to consider adjustments is when there is no pressure 

to fly.

 Second, keep all other variables constant. For example, if the goal is to lower 

baseline personal minimums for visibility, the pilot should not try to lower the 

ceiling, wind, or other values at the same time. Never push the baseline if there are 

special conditions (e.g., unfamiliar aircraft) for this flight.

Using new technologies

Aircraft flight manuals explicitly prohibit using the moving map, topography, terrain 

awareness, traffic, and weather datalink displays as the primary data source, but these 

tools nonetheless give the pilot unprecedented information for enhanced situational 

awareness. Without a disciplined information management strategy, though, these 

tools can also make it easy for an unwary instrument pilot to slide into the complacent 

role of passenger-in-command. Mentor pilots with knowledge and experience of new 

technologies can play an important role in helping the new instrument pilot take full 

advantage of the safety benefits by encouraging consistent use of good information, 

automation, and risk management strategies. For example, pilots should:

 Always double-check the system. Does the presentation make sense? If the aircraft 

is equipped with weather datalink, the pilot must understand that it presents recent

weather, not real-time radar returns. It also pays to be familiar with product 

content/format and coverage limitations.

 Use callouts. Appropriate callouts can help the pilot maintain situational awareness. 

For example, the mentor pilot can encourage such practices as reading the 

appropriate displays (e.g., PFD, MFD, autopilot status annunciator) aloud after 

making any change in course or altitude. Callouts for what is expected next (e.g., 

next fix, next altitude) are useful as well. [back]
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B. Mentoring for New Flight Instructors

Conventional wisdom holds that the practical test for initial issuance of a flight 

instructor certificate is one of the most challenging assessments a pilot can face. Most 

would agree that the high level of scrutiny is appropriate in view of the great 

responsibility that the instructor certificate bestows. However, even high standards for 

instructor training, evaluation, and certification cannot fully bridge the gap between the 

world of training and the real world of actual instruction. In addition, many new 

instructors are simply put to work in busy flight schools with relatively little guidance 

and support for making this transition.

One way to support and accelerate the flight instructor’s transition from novice to 

skilled practitioner is for flight schools to adopt the supervised student teaching concept 

that the academic community uses in its basic teacher certification process. For 

example:

 Pair each newly certificated flight instructor with an experienced CFI who will serve 

as the new CFI’s mentor. At a minimum, the mentor CFI should meet the regulatory 

requirements for training a flight instructor (i.e., held a flight instructor certificate 

for at least 2 years and given at least 200 hours of dual).

o Alternatively, or in addition, establish a “peer mentoring” program of team 

teaching for CFI applicants.

 Make ground and flight training observation of experienced instructors part of the 

regular curriculum for CFI applicants.

 Establish a system of graduated authority for instruction and signoffs.

 Establish standard guidelines and procedures for instructors who are mentoring new 

instructors. These guidelines and procedures should include regularly scheduled 

meetings between the mentor and the new instructor.

o As part of this process, encourage the new flight instructor to record 

personal observations on initial instructional experiences in a journal.

o The mentor CFI or peer mentor should periodically observe the new 

instructor conducting each phase of a lesson: preflight briefing flight lesson, 

and post-flight debriefing.

[back]
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Sample Best Practices for New CFI Transition

 Standardization flights in each make/model used by the flight school with the chief 

flight instructor or an assistant chief flight instructor.

 Structured orientation program to standardize new instructors in the school’s 

policies and procedures for ground and flight instruction.

o New instructors should observe ground school or ground instruction 

session by experienced instructor (ideally by assigned mentor).

o New instructors should observe flight training session by experienced 

instructor (ideally by assigned mentor)

 Supervised “student teaching” program might include the following:

o First 10 flights assigned to new instructor are for flight review customers.

o Next 5 flights assigned to new instructor are for aircraft checkout.

o Next 5 flights assigned to new instructor are transition training (new 

aircraft or endorsement)

o Next 5 flights assigned to new instructor are introductory (“discovery”) 

flights.

Sample Best Practices for New Instrument Instructor Transition

 Standardization flights in each make/model the flight school uses for IFR training 

with the chief flight instructor or an assistant chief flight instructor.

 Structured orientation program to standardize new instrument instructors in the 

school’s policies and procedures for instrument ground and flight instruction.

o New instructors should observe instrument ground school or instrument 

ground instruction session by experienced instructor (ideally by assigned 

mentor).

o New instructors should observe instrument flight training session by 

experienced instructor (ideally by assigned mentor)

 Supervised “student teaching” program might include the following:

o First 10 flights assigned to new instrument instructor are for instrument 

proficiency checks (IPCs) or instrument recurrency.

[back]
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Personal Minimums Recommended for New CFIIs

 Separate personal minimums: when you are PIC vs when you are giving dual

o On a VFR day, fly alone in broken clouds. Then...

o On an IMC day, fly alone in the clouds. Ceilings 600-800 ft, 2 miles visibility. 

 Limit dual given weather to day, basic VFR minimum the first IFR flights – 1,000’ 

ceilings and 3 miles visibility. Then ...

o After you’ve logged 10 hours actual IMC, reduce personal minimums and 

dual given weather to day minimums of 500 and 2. Then ...

o After 20 hours actual IMC reduce dual given weather to night 500/2.

o After 50 hours of IMC, you might be ready for dual given at 200/1 minimums. 

 Use the FTD to maintain proficiency in IAPs not commonly flown. 

 Fly each type of IAP (VOR, ILS, GPS, ADF) and hold every 30 days.

courtesy of AeroTech Incorporated

Sample Best Practices for New Multi-Engine Instructor Transition

 Standardization flights in each make/model the flight school uses for ME training 

with the chief flight instructor or an assistant chief flight instructor.

 Structured orientation program to standardize new ME instructors in the school’s 

policies and procedures for ME ground and flight instruction.

o New instructors should observe ME ground school or ME ground 

instruction session by experienced instructor (ideally by assigned mentor).

o New instructors should observe ME flight training session by experienced 

instructor (ideally by assigned mentor)

 Supervised “student teaching” program might include the following:

o First 10 flights assigned to new ME instructor are for ME checkouts or 

recurrency work.

o New MEI must log at least 25 hours of ME PIC time before working with a new ME 

student. (i.e., a customer seeking his or her initial ME rating.

[back]
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Appendix 1

Sample Agreement for Mentoring of New IFR Pilot

Understandings

In the interest of enhancing aviation safety, _________________(name of mentor pilot) 

hereby agrees to serve as a mentor pilot to _________________ (name of mentored 

pilot) beginning on ___________ (date) and ending 

___________________________________ (specify date or triggering event, such as 

completion of agreed activity program).

It is mutually understood and agreed that:

• The mentored pilot will always be pilot in command (PIC). 

• Observations or suggestions from the mentoring pilot are strictly 

advisory. 

• The mentored pilot always remains the final authority on conducting the 

flight.

• The mentor pilot is not acting as a flight instructor.

Goals

The mentor pilot and the mentoring pilot agree that the goals of the mentoring 

relationship are to help the new instrument pilot safely acquire the following 

experience:

______ flights under instrument flight rules (IFR).

______ hours in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

______ instrument approaches in IMC.

Activities

To meet these goals, the mentoring pilot will assist the mentored pilot as follows:

______ developing a personalized IFR “ramp-up” flight syllabus.

______ developing appropriate personal minimums.

______ consultation during preflight planning.

______ discussion (upon request) of go/no-go decision.

______ accompany on IMC trip(s) when mutually convenient.

______ consultation (as needed) from diversion or destination point.

______ post-flight review of “lessons learned” plus next steps

______ assistance in modifying personal minimums as needed.

______ other (specify below)

Mentoring Pilot:_______________________ Starting Date:_______________________

Mentored Pilot:_______________________ Completion Date:____________________

back]
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Appendix 2

Suggested IFR Flight Planning Process

Determine destination and proposed route of flight

Check Big Picture overview

Items to review:

• TAFs and METARs (dep, dest, enr)

• Winds & temps aloft

• Radar

• Freezing levels

If consistent with personal minimums, continue flight planning process

Call Flight Service or DUATS:

• Request standard briefing

• File IFR flight plan

• Verify information / picture gained from other sources

• Modify plans as necessary

back]
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Appendix 3

IFR Analysis Worksheet

Turbulence Ceiling & Visibility Performance Trends

Place & Time Winds CIG Vis Other Temp/Dewpoint Trends

Turbulence Analysis Ceiling & Visibility Analysis Performance Analysis

back]

Personal Minimums

Wind speed = ____

Gust factor = ____

Crosswind = _____

Personal IFR Approach Minimums

Ceiling = __________

Visibility = _________

Density altitude = _____________

Freezing level = ______________

Takeoff distance = ____________

Runway length = _____________

Landing distance = ____________

Runway length = _____________

Cruise performance = _________

Fuel available = ____gal____hrs

Fuel required = ____gal____hrs

Fuel reserve = ____gal____hrs

Departure wind = _____@_____

Desination wind = ____@____

En route wind = 

_______@_____

Maneuvering speed = ______*

V

A

decreases as weight decreases

Thunderstorms forecast?____

Convective SIGMETS?______

Planned altitude = _____________

- Lowest en route ceiling = ______

- Highest en route obstacle =_____

- Highest en route terrain = _______

- Over water?______

Departure visibility = ________________

Lowest en route visibility = ___________

Destination visibility = _______________

Alternate required ? Yes____ No______

Note: Since values listed in the 

approved flight manual (AFM) are 

determined under controlled 

conditions, it is a good practice to 

add a 50% to 100% safety margin 

to the “book numbers” you derive 

from performance charts.

Nearest VFR Weather:

Direction: N S E W

Distance: ____ nm

Flying time to nearest VFR:_______

Fuel status:____________________
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Appendix 4

Regional / Seasonal Weather Considerations

Location:___________________________________

Topography

Mountains: highest elevation_________________________________

Bodies of water:____________________________________________

Other features:____________________________________________

Seasonal Weather Characteristics

Winter Spring Summer Autumn

Average temps

Ceiling

Visibility

Wind direction

Wind velocity

TS activity

Icing potential

Other

Most Important “Local Knowledge” Tips back]

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________
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Appendix 5

Agreement for Mentoring of New CFI

Understandings

In the interest of enhancing aviation safety, _________________(name of mentor pilot) 

hereby agrees to serve as a mentor pilot to _________________ (name of mentored 

pilot) beginning on ___________ (date) and ending 

___________________________________ (specify date or triggering event, such as 

completion of agreed activity program).

It is mutually understood and agreed that:

• The mentored pilot will always be pilot in command (PIC). 

• Observations or suggestions from the mentoring pilot are strictly 

advisory. 

• The mentored pilot always remains the final authority on 

conducting the flight.

• The mentor pilot is not acting as a flight instructor or supervisor.

Goals

The mentor pilot and the mentoring pilot agree that the goals of the relationship are to 

help the new CFI acquire practical instructional experience by conducting:

______ flight reviews.

______ transition training or recurrency flights.

______ ground school sessions.

______ first student solo flights.

Activities

To meet these goals, the mentoring pilot will assist the mentored pilot as follows:

______ help establish a personalized CFI skill development plan.

______ observe & critique preflight & postflight briefings.

______ discuss issues and questions arising from dual sessions with students.

______ observe (upon request) flight training activity with students.

______ consultation prior to first solo of CFI’s first __ students.

______ consultation prior to practical test of CFI’s first ___ students.

______ other (specify below)

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Mentoring Pilot:_______________________ Starting Date:_______________________

Mentored Pilot:_______________________ Completion Date:____________________

back]
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Appendix 6

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

Developing Personal Minimums

Think of personal minimums as the human 

factors equivalent of reserve fuel. Personal 

minimums should provide a solid safety 

buffer between:

 Skills required for the specific flight, 

and 

 Skills available to you through your 

training, experience, currency, and 

proficiency. 

Step 1 – Review Weather Minimums

Step 2 – Assess Weather Experience and

Personal Comfort Level

Step 3 – Consider Winds and Performance 

Step 4 – Assemble Baseline Values

Step 5 – Adjust for Specific Conditions

Step 6 – Stick to the Plan

Step 4: Assemble to establish baseline personal minimums.

Step 5: Adjust for specific conditions.
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Step 2(b): Enter values for weather experience/ “comfort level.” 

Step 3(a): Enter values for experience / comfort in wind.

Step 3(b): Enter values for performance experience/comfort.

Step 2(a): Record certification, training, & recent experience.

Step 1: Review definitions for VFR & IFR weather minimums.

back]