⦁ $_{Flight planning decision/performance chart—the pilot calculated total fuel requirements for the trip based }$ on a rule-of-thumb figure he had used previously for another airplane. He did not use the fuel tables printed  in the pilot’s operating handbook (POH) for the aircraft he was flying on this trip. After reaching his  destination, the pilot did not request refueling. Based on his original calculations, he believed sufficient  fuel remained for the flight home.  ⦁ $_{Fatigue/failure to recognize personal limitations—in the presence of deteriorating weather, the pilot }$ departed for the flight home at 5:00 p.m. He did not consider how fatigue and lack of extensive night flying  experience could affect the flight.  ⦁ $_{Fuel exhaustion—with the aircraft fuel supply almost exhausted, the pilot no longer had the option of }$ diverting to avoid rapidly developing thunderstorms. He was forced to land at the nearest airfield available.  On numerous occasions during the flight, the pilot could have made decisions which may have prevented this incident. However, as  the chain of events unfolded, each poor decision left him with fewer and fewer options. On the positive side, the pilot made a  precautionary landing at a time and place of his choosing. VFR into IMC accidents often lead to fatalities. In this case, the pilot  landed his aircraft without loss of life.  Teaching pilots to make sound decisions is the key to preventing accidents. Traditional pilot instruction has emphasized flying skills,  knowledge of the aircraft, and familiarity with regulations. ADM training focuses on the decision-making process and the factors that  affect a pilot’s ability to make effective choices.$_{ }$ Timely decision-making is an important tool for any pilot. The learner who hesitates when prompt action is required, or who makes  the decision to not decide, has made a wrong decision. Emergencies require the pilot to think—assess the situation, choose and  execute the actions that assure safety.  It is important for flight instructors to teach learners that declaring an emergency when one occurs is an appropriate reaction. Once an  emergency is declared, air traffic control (ATC) gives the pilot priority handling. 14 CFR Section 91.3, Responsibility and Authority  of the Pilot in Command, states that “In an inflight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from  any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.”  Flight instructors should incorporate ADM, risk management, situational awareness, and SRM throughout the entire training course  for all levels of learners. AC 60-22, Aeronautical Decision Making, provides background references, definitions, and other pertinent  information about ADM training in the general aviation (GA) environment.  [Figure 1-10]  An understanding of the decision-making process provides learners with a foundation for developing ADM skills. Some situations,  such as engine failures, require a pilot to respond immediately using established procedures with little time for detailed analysis.  Traditionally, pilots have been well trained to react to emergencies but are not as well prepared to make decisions, which require a  more reflective response. Typically during a flight, the pilot has time to examine any changes that occur, gather information, and  assess risk before reaching a decision. The steps leading to this conclusion constitute the decision-making process. When the  decision-making process is presented to learners it is essential to discuss how the process applies to an actual flight situation. To  explain the decision-making process, the instructor can introduce the following steps with the accompanying scenario that places the  learners in the position of making a decision about a typical flight situation.  The first step in the decision-making process is to define the problem. This begins with recognizing that a change has occurred or that  an expected change did not occur. A problem is perceived first by the senses, and then is distinguished through insight and  experience. These same abilities, as well as an objective analysis of all available information, are used to determine the exact nature  and severity of the problem.  One critical error that can be made during the decision-making process is incorrectly defining the problem. For example, failure of a  landing-gear-extended light to illuminate could indicate that the gear is not down and locked into place or it could mean the bulb is  burned out. The actions to be taken in each of these circumstances would be significantly different. Fixating on a problem that does  not exist can divert the pilot’s attention from important tasks. The pilot’s failure to maintain an awareness of the circumstances  regarding the flight now becomes the problem. This is why once an initial assumption is made regarding the problem, other sources  should be used to verify that the pilot’s conclusion is correct.$_{ }$ The Decision-Making Process  Defining the Problem  1-20