and low-altitude hypoxia serve to rob the pilot of much of  his or her energy by the end of a long and tiring flight day.  This leads to a transition from a decision-making mode to an  acceptance mode on the part of the pilot. If the flight is longer  than 2 hours, the 5 P check should be conducted hourly.  The last two decision points are just prior to descent into the  terminal area and just prior to the final approach fix, or if  VFR, just prior to entering the traffic pattern as preparations  for landing commence. Most pilots execute approaches with  the expectation that they will land out of the approach every  time. A healthier approach requires the pilot to assume that  changing conditions (the 5 Ps again) will cause the pilot to  divert or execute the missed approach on every approach.  This keeps the pilot alert to all manner of conditions that  may increase risk and threaten the safe conduct of the flight.  Diverting from cruise altitude saves fuel, allows unhurried  use of the autopilot and is less reactive in nature. Diverting  from the final approach fix, while more difficult, still allows  the pilot to plan and coordinate better, rather than executing  a futile missed approach. Let’s look at a detailed discussion  of each of the Five Ps.  The “Plan” can also be called the mission or the task. It  contains the basic elements of cross-country planning,  weather, route, fuel, publications currency, etc. The “Plan”  should be reviewed and updated several times during the  course of the flight. A delayed takeoff due to maintenance,  fast moving weather, and a short notice TFR may all radically  alter the plan. The “plan” is not only about the flight plan,  but also all the events that surround the flight and allow the  pilot to accomplish the mission. The plan is always being  updated and modified and is especially responsive to changes  in the other four remaining Ps. If for no other reason, the 5 P  check reminds the pilot that the day’s flight plan is real life  and subject to change at any time.  Obviously, weather is a huge part of any plan. The addition  of datalink weather information gives the advanced avionics  pilot a real advantage in inclement weather, but only if the  pilot is trained to retrieve and evaluate the weather in real  time without sacrificing situational awareness. And of course,  weather information should drive a decision, even if that  decision is to continue on the current plan. Pilots of aircraft  without datalink weather should get updated weather in flight  through an FSS and/or Flight Watch.  Both the “plan” and the “plane” are fairly familiar to most  pilots. The “plane” consists of the usual array of mechanical  and cosmetic issues that every aircraft pilot, owner, or  operator can identify. With the advent of advanced avionics,  the “plane” has expanded to include database currency,  automation status, and emergency backup systems that were  unknown a few years ago. Much has been written about  single pilot IFR flight, both with and without an autopilot.  While this is a personal decision, it is just that—a decision.  Low IFR in a non-autopilot equipped aircraft may depend  on several of the other Ps to be discussed. Pilot proficiency,  currency, and fatigue are among them.  Flying, especially when business transportation is involved,  can expose a pilot to risks such as high altitudes, long trips  requiring significant endurance, and challenging weather.  Advanced avionics, when installed, can expose a pilot to high  stresses because of the inherent additional capabilities which  are available. When dealing with pilot risk, it is always best  to consult the “IMSAFE” checklist (see page 2-6).  The combination of late nights, pilot fatigue, and the effects  of sustained flight above 5,000 feet may cause pilots to  become less discerning, less critical of information, less  decisive, and more compliant and accepting. Just as the most  critical portion of the flight approaches (for instance a night  instrument approach, in the weather, after a 4-hour flight),  the pilot’s guard is down the most. The 5 P process helps a  pilot recognize the physiological challenges that they may  face towards the end of the flight prior to takeoff and allows  them to update personal conditions as the flight progresses.  Once risks are identified, the pilot is in a better place to  make alternate plans that lessen the effect of these factors  and provide a safer solution.  One of the key differences between CRM and SRM is the  way passengers interact with the pilot. The pilot of a highly  capable single-engine aircraft maintains a much more personal  relationship with the passengers as he/she is positioned within  an arm’s reach of them throughout the flight.  The necessity of the passengers to make airline connections  or important business meetings in a timely manner enters  into this pilot’s decision-making loop. Consider a flight  to Dulles Airport in which and the passengers, both close  friends and business partners, need to get to Washington,  D.C. for an important meeting. The weather is VFR all the  way to southern Virginia, then turns to low IFR as the pilot  approaches Dulles. A pilot employing the 5 P approach  might consider reserving a rental car at an airport in northern  North Carolina or southern Virginia to coincide with a  refueling stop. Thus, the passengers have a way to get to  Washington, and the pilot has an out to avoid being pressured  into continuing the flight if the conditions do not improve.  The Plan  The Plane  The Passengers  The Pilot  2-14 