Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! Learning How to Make Good Choices 

I really took your message about safety to heart when, last year, you said that you were going to drive with your family over the holidays instead of fly. When I took my checkride, the DPE said that we were going to fly to his daughter’s graduation and we need to be back the next morning for work. My response was, “Nope. We’re driving.”

Hey Jason, thanks for making this video. The worst decisions for me happen when I feel rushed. I once landed at a resort in the bush, where wild animals are frequently found on the runway. On one particular day, I delayed my departure by an extra hour due to the high temperatures that day, but as a VFR pilot without a night rating, it meant that I was pushed for time and forgot one of the most important things. Check the runway for any animals. Since the runway was curved, I did not see that an entire herd of antelopes were standing on the runway. And boy, did I get a fright when at rotation speed those animals came into view. Since that day I make concerted effort to remove that "It'll be fine" attitude, which is still hard to shake off under external pressure.

Hey Jason, just thought i'd say as a student pilot constantly getting cancelled on for weather and other things, your videos are a lifesaver and keep me learning even when I can't go to the airport. By far the best Aviator/RU-vidr I know!

6/6 Best anecdote for countering impulsivity I’ve heard from a reading a book about someone who works emergency medicine. “Don’t just do something, stand there!” It was said to the author by an attending to give the author pause and for them to realize that taking the time to assess what’s going on and make a solid decision was more imparts than moving your arms around in a crisis. In an environment where seconds matter, make use of all the time you have to make sure you get it right the first time.

6 for 6 ! Thanks for reminding us to be a humble learner no matter how much we THINK we know !

6-6 Jody Spann. My CFI stated in my first flight lesson- Every landing is a go around, unless your 100% happy with it!

6/6 I promise to never hesitate to go around. Thanks a lot Jason ❤

6 for 6. I am thankful that I heard the song “You can always go around” because I sing it in my head on final.

6/6 I started flying last February after an 18 year break. My personal minimums have continually changed throughout 2022 as I got more instruction and more experience. For the first 2 months, my mins included “no CFI onboard = No-Go.” Even after I got by BFR sign off, I continued to fly with my instructor. Now, I feel comfortable flying solo. That said, when I take one of my kids with me, my minimums go up considerably. My 13 year old son has seen me make the No-go decision after we preflighted the airplane. The winds were picking up, the clouds were dropping and the sun was setting (PNW in December). I told him that I wanted to take him up, but we’d do it another day. He would have trusted me to go, but I think he learned something that day. Thank you for the video series. It’s a great way to start the year 🎉

6 of 6. I use the WX Brief app where I have plugged in both my personal minimums and the aircraft's specific abilities/limitations. When the icons and red warnings appear, the decision is made, no questions asked. The app lets me know if me or my aircraft can't take it. Thank you for teaching us this way!

6 for 6. Personal minimums are a must. The other mantra that I use - which I learned from Jason - is the "Three Strikes Rule". If there are three things that go wrong or distract & interrupt my thought process or mental state of mind, I'm not going.

6 for 6. Had a cross country flight to Waco, the conditions quickly started to deteriorate half way there, did a 180 and came back. I know I made the right decision.

6 for 6. My biggest problem is feeling rushed. During preflight there is pressure to get the checks done so your pax aren’t sweating or freezing. After the engine starts, a subconscious ticker goes off in my head as to how much I’m paying to rent the plane. Hurry up and program those radios, time is money! I guess that is impulsivity.

Six. Had to cancel a trip out east to see my daughter last summer, but there were so many things whispering “don’t go”. Glad we didn’t go as weather bombed out for 4 days including LLWS and other issues. Glad we heard the whispers.

Oddly enough, resignation is my biggest problem. If I come up against a situation that I don't know the immediate solution too, I almost want to give up or even wish that someone else was with me in the plane to take over. This series is great by the way!

Perfect timing for this video! I was headed out to the airport and checked the TAF and winds were outside of my comfort zone. I was bummed and then smiled when I started this video!! 6 for 6

6 of 6 and don’t need to be fixed. ✈️ Decision Making Process (DMP) starts from when you wake up. Start the day with good sound decisions, Fly or Not To Fly. My Instructor laughs every time we fly because I told him I make a decision every 10mins in the air.

6/6! WRITTEN personal minimums. Three things (inc. PAVE, IMSAFE) close to borderline=NO-GO

6 for 6, reminds me about one of my favourite books, Farsighted : How we make the decisions that matter the most.

6-for-6. a pleasure as always!! The ground school is amazing!!!

6/6! 91.103 - cannot express this enough! Weather should be anticipated, and we really should have a pretty good grasp of what is possible if we’ve done our proper planning, including WXBrief/AWC site ⛈️

6 for 6. I've used personal minimums in training several times when the weather was "technically" okay, but I wasn't feeling it and cancelled the flight. The airport I was flying out of had a regularly scheduled corporate jet on a straight in approach. ATC gave me the option to extend my downwind and wait for the jet to land or make an early base and be cleared to land. I didn't feel I could do it, but my instructor was comfortable with it. We took the early base and landed, but I turned the aircraft over to my instructor to do so. I would have been willing to extend, but it would have kept me up much longer.

6/6. Always humbling to hear an experienced instructor like Jason drumming safety in everyone globally. I'm learning a lot from your teachings, thanks for the passion you put into dishing out the topics. Thanks to the M0A team, you all rock.

6 for 6. My CFI and recently decided that my wind max is 10 knots. This has been very helpful. I would say I'm prone to impulsivity. Learning to slow down and think through steps and follow checklists is becoming more of a habit. I'm learning that nothing in flying is done with hastiness or speed. Thanks Jason!

6/6 I’ll admit resignation is something I’ve been prone to from PPL, IFR, to CPL training. It’s usually after a buildup of fatigue in a training flight.

6/6 I’ve practiced “personal minimums” in life as a general rule, probably why I’m still alive!👍🏼 Makes even more sense in the air!!😁excellent video! Thank you!🎉

One time I was flying and the airport i planned to land at didn’t have weather so I listened to the weather at a nearby airport about 20 miles away and the wind was reported to be straight down runway 31. The runway was only 40 feet wide and pretty short but i knew I could land in that distance. I was on short final and seemed like i had a crazy crosswind and beside that I wasn’t comfortable with a runway that narrow so I did a go around and saw that it was a direct crosswind which was straight down the other runway. I have learned, having enough humility to go around is one of the biggest tools you can have in the cockpit!

6/6 Perfect time each morning to watch the videos! No-Go and Go Arounds are easy decisions for me- these videos just reinforce my training! Well done!

6 4 6. We need to pay more attention to this. There is truth in “There are no old, bold pilots”.

6/6! I have earned my PPL twice. I surrendered the first one because of a 'landing' that totalled the plane. I should have gone around BUT, I'd never even heard those words before. My first instructor NEVER taught me that! Now, I tend to go around a little too early, but I'd rather that than trashing another plane...

Reading Killing Zone right now so thank you for bringing up VFR into IMC.

6/6! Keep up the great work MzeroA Team! Also, Cirrus teaches if you are not stable by 500’ AGL and below (speed +/-5kts, Vert Speed more than 500fpm), you go around. Don’t save it. Get it right the next time around.

a few months ago the wind were bad and my instructor wanted me to get some cross wind training in, well on one approach i was having difficulties getting the plane lined up and lowered to the rwy, so i asked him if i could go around, he said do what you want.( so i did just that) after getting back on the down wind in pattern he said DONT YOU EVER ASK IF YOU CAN GO AROUND, go around if you think you need to.

On my 2nd solo flight I was in pattern, winds 9kt and I got a little fear in me and made a too-shallow turn on final making me miss the runway completely. I tried to get back to it but then also realized I was too high. I remembered the words “you can always go around” so I did. The next 11 patterns and landings were much better!

6/6. My biggest risk is anti authority. I look out for it when flying. As for go-arounds, don't forget to abort your takeoff if during takeoff things are not 100%. In other words, don't try to save a takeoff either.

6 4 6- Good refresher- plus your kindness shows through!

6 for 6! Your Aviation Mastery book was also great! I had to highlight everything even though my teacher tells me not to get "Highlight Happy"!

6/6. I agree, no point in "saving" a landing. Just go-around. Heck, if your a bit uncertain or inexperienced with crosswind, or at an unfamiliar strip, Plan a go-arpund on purpose... do a low and over. Like a golfer taking a practice swing, no shame in it. And your passengers really won't think less of you for it. They'll appreciate your carefulness and your humility.

6 for 6. When setting personal minimums, it is hard to know where to set the bar unless you have experienced it before. I struggle setting hard personal minimums because of that. Thanks Jason.

6 for 6: go around always good to have on your mind during final approach. I have personal minimum for wind at 15 knots.

I've seen all 6, not necessarily on the day you put them out, but I've seen them all. I think the hazardous attitude that I'm affected by most is resignation.

Great stuff as always. I always recommend writing down your personal mins. I have different personal mins for IFR and VFR. Both are written on 3x5 note cards. I keep one copy in my logbook and one in my ipad case so it's always with me at the airport!

Thank you. Just had that experience for the first time. As the pilot I am responsible of the preflight.

Go or no go decisions when approaching mountain passes too. Twice on my solo cross countries for my PPL I ended up having to turn back at a mountain pass because the other side was completely clouded in. It was such an amazing feeling when I was finally able to complete my flight to that particular airfield by myself.

6 for 7: missed this one yesterday but THANK YOU for the humbling message. Thank you to my CFI for putting me at ease when I would apologize for my decision to go around because I didn’t feel comfortable on my final approach and I was not willing to try to save the landing!!! He stressed the importance to always make sound decisions and not second guess.

6 for 6, and thanks for reiterating about personal minimums. I had two 2 additional days in Jacksonville recently grounded by fog and then low ceilings. Being VFR only right now definitely has its limitations, but its nice to know I can keep myself out of bad situations. Thanks!!!

6 for 6 ! I have not learned to land yet still brand new student pilot, I will keep this in mind when it's time. Love your videos!!

6 for 6 Thank you Jason!!! being new in aviation and owning an airplane my CFI was very demanding with having me make the decision should we go or no!!! I always passed the test safety first and knowing my personal minimums

Good one Jason. Two comments worthy of remembering.."a landing is a missed opportunity for a go-around". The other I was taught by an old instructor..."always fly in the middle of the air...the edges are far too dangerous". Keep up the excellent work. Cheers from Australia. Ian

An important personal minimum I would add is emotional state and energy level (how tired you are). I might practice the flight in the simulator before I actually do it for real, especially a long cross country or weather concerns.

6 for 6. During preflight of aircraft, Preflight ourselves,so easy to overlook.

6 for 6. I feel comfortable calling “no-go” before a flight. I need to work on changing the plan when I need to DURING the flight if need be.

6/6 just started flying (15hours) and love the videos there have been a few times with my instructor I felt we should go around and they say we would usually go around but we still land I am going to start going around and making that decision myself for when I am by myself!!

Thank you for these. Humility is crucial!

This is such a great reinforcing segment. I use and have explained this process to many over the years. Thanks 13:41

6 for 6. I scheduled my IFR check ride for two days before I was scheduled for cancer surgery. My DPE, whom I knew well, looked at me and me and asked me what I was doing in the airplane. He knew what I could do but I was not demonstrating it at that time. 59 days later I passed with flying colors!

6 for 6 As long as I fly, I will be watching/learning. Thank you, Jason and crew, for all you do.

Thank you Jason foe educating me. I never got my mastery book. I was told the shipping cost to Alaska was too expensive. 🤥

6 for 6, the one I struggle with is impulsivity. I have to admit to trying to save a landing, then realized moments later there was no way to save it safely. I was lucky, and have not forgotten that humbling experience.

6 for 6. For me IFR license added a layer of complexity to the go-no-go. The VFR-only decision making was easier but I agree always have an alternate in IFR.

6/6 Thank you MzeroA Team!

Looking like 6 for 6!! Got a flight at 3 today

6 for 6, Jason. All lessons have been very helpful. Thank you for your dedication to help make flying safer.

6 4 6. I'm a handicapped pilot and my minimums are pretty bloomin' minimum. It's incredibly frustrating sometimes but I know what I can't handle. I'll push the envelope sometimes, but ONLY with an instructor or safety pilot with me.

6/6 a lot of instructors think landings or stall recoveries are the most difficult things to teach students but it really is good adm. very very difficult to impart

Agree 100%. Should always have an alternate not just when IFR but also in VFR and more than one alternate airport is even a better choice.

6 for 6. I have my personal minimums…and they can always change as I get experience and get better…but, as I learned from another CFI…they can’t change on the day that I am wanting to fly.

6 for 6! Go-around has been in my vocabulary since Day 1 of flying. I consider it to be another tool to keep handy in any flight.

Jason and MzeroA team, thank you for another great topic. 6 for 6. Although I'm a newer pilot (250 hours), I've had a lot of risk management training as a firefighter so invulnerability is the hazardous attitude I need to be careful of. I've gotten into trouble is when I think I've properly accessed the risks and I'm within my margins, only to find out there are things I have not accounted for. One suggestion I would make is that flying at night should automatically make your personal minimums much more restrictive. I like to fly at night, but even going into airports I know I have discovered it is easy to get disoriented as to exactly where you are and distances. Looking for to tomorrow's lesson!

I’m 6 for 6. My bad attitude is probably resignation. I’m easily convinced to try things I think are risky by more experienced pilots.

6 for 6. I flew my family to Gatlinburg several years back in a Cherokee. After spending the day there with friends, we were getting ready to come home after dark. On the takeoff roll, the airspeed wouldn't come alive. We went back to the ramp and I couldn't find anything obstructing the pitot tube. Found out later, a wasp had flown in there and died. Anyway, I decided not to fly home. When my friend asked why I cancelled the flight I said, "I don't mind flying in the mountains. I don't mind flying in the mountains at night. And I don't mind flying in the mountains at night with my family on board. But if I'm going to fly in the mountains at night with my family on board, EVERYTHING needs to work." Oh, and by the way, I was returning a 172 to Rexair one day when a gator blocked taxiway B2. Ah, Florida flying... 😉

6/6 I think things change as we get older (me). When I was younger I had an anti authority attitude about life in general. Not so much anymore. I think resignation could come into play in a challenging situation now.

6 for 6. Impulsivity and resignation are two things I've noticed as a low-time student pilot. I'll also try not to 'save' a landing that's not going well and go around.

We are 6/6 Thank You Jason for Great insight!

Caught up today for 6/6. Thank you !!!

Great reminder!

6 4 6!! Thanks for all the reminders!

6/6 thanks for the hazardous attitudes reminder!

6/6. Thank you for doing this!

646R2! Susceptible to "oh c'mon it ain't that bad, let's go".

6/6b looking forward to more amazing videos

I’m currently training. I personally don’t like wind anything beyond 7kts. Some people laugh at that. But a piper 28 is super light.

6 for 6.. Jason did pick-up Private pilot Blueprint, Thanks

6 for 6. Great information to relay to my students. Thank you !

I wrote down the note on setting personal minimums. I think this will help me make better decisions when understanding my capabilities and the airplane versus the risk of flying in certain weather conditions. I'm going to include my personal minimum in the pre-flight check because my pre-flight checklist does not have some of the things you've talked about doing steps beyond the pre-flight checklist. I don't think I have strong hazardous attitudes like the 5 attitude hazards. I like to live and my rational part of my brain tells me don't try anything dumb and have us back on the ground safe after I've enjoyed my time flying. However, if asked during my youth whether I exude one or more of the 5 hazardous attitudes, I think I probably had a bit of each one. I remembered during my first solo flight between two airports, departing from my airport (controlled) to an uncontrolled airport and back, I had to overshoot the first landing attempt and go around at the uncontrolled airport. Although I felt embarrassed because there were other pilots using the runway, Jason Schappert, your advice on don't try to save the landing from a video long ago helped me to make the smart decision not try to risk landing the aircraft on a poor landing approach. I guess I did developed suppressing my early hazard attitudes and did not concede to anyone of them.

6 for 6. I promise to go around when I am not set up correctly on final.

6 for 6! Impulsivity. Go Arounds are free and necessary to practice, add them to your routine.

6 for 6 in 2023! I will try to save less and go around more.

6 for 6 - toughest decision when you want to fly but the weather grounds you. Patience is the key, I’ll live to fly another day 😂

6/6. I’m definitely susceptible to impulsivity, I’m working on it though.

Six for six. My checkride is the 11th, I'm not missing any of these until then!!

6 for 6: Impulsivity is my hazardous attitude. But I do well to talk my way thought it. I can recognize when it's rearing it's ugly head and can overcome it.

646, thx . I’ve made the decision to go around turning base to final a few times. If my approach isn’t stable by 500 ft, 🛫

6 for 6! Keep up the good work!!

6 for 6, having the mentality of go-around has been something I've found I have to focus on. I do it, but I really have to make a conscious effort to brief it and prepare to do it.

6 for 6 great info! Thanks!!

I'm probably too careful. If I don't feel 100 percent, I don't go. If it's too cold, or too hot, I don't go. If it's windy, I don't go. If the ceilings are a little low, I don't go. There's too much traffic, which happens a lot out here between Tucson and Phoenix! I don't go... So, unfortunately, I end up not flying. 6/6 I need to add: I take my aircraft to another airport for annual. I have had to do abort landings twice because of wild life there. Never thought twice about it.

6:6 - Had to rewatch this.

6 for 6, always make a go/no go decision on every flight. Be it weather IMSAFE, etc.

I have difficulty in flight school with resignation, because there are enough safety issues with planes, that I would sqwak the aircraft for, only to get told over the radio that said issue is a known, persistent issue with that specific aircraft. That is really frustrating, because, foremost, it is a safety isssue, and secondly, because every single time there is an issue, I have to ask others "hey, is this a known issue?" That, in turn, leads to a lack of confidence to stand up for an aircraft issue. Has happened with an alternator discharge, cylinder misfire, and a second alternator discharge, all within the last 2 months.