The plan can also be called the mission or the task. It contains  the basic elements of cross-country planning: weather,  route, fuel, current publications, etc. The plan should be  reviewed and updated several times during the course of the  flight.  [Figure 6-15]  A delayed takeoff due to maintenance,  fast-moving weather, and a short-notice temporary flight  restriction (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 5P check reminds  the pilot that the day’s flight plan is real life and subject to  change at any time.  better rather than executing a futile missed approach. A  detailed discussion of each of the 5 Ps follows. 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.  [Figure 6-16]  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 use of autopilot 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 used for business transportation,  can expose the pilot to high altitude flying, long distance  and endurance, and more challenging weather. An advanced  avionics aircraft, simply due to its advanced capabilities, can  expose a pilot to even more of these stresses. The traditional  “IMSAFE” checklist is a good start.  [Figure 6-17] The combination of late night, 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 (e.g., a night instrument  approach in weather after a 4-hour flight), the pilot’s guard  Obviously, weather is a huge part of any plan. The addition of  real time data link weather information provided by advanced  avionics gives the 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 AFSS and/or Flight Watch.  6-11 Figure 6-15. Using the 5P process does not end with the takeoff. It needs to be integrated into routine workmanship. Pilot  Plane  Plan 