5.2 Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM)
Key Takeaways
- DECIDE model: Detect → Estimate → Choose → Identify → Do → Evaluate.
- IMSAFE: Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion — self-assess before every flight.
- Five hazardous attitudes: Anti-authority, Impulsivity, Invulnerability, Macho, Resignation.
- PAVE: Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External pressures — assess all four before flying.
- When in doubt on exam questions, always choose the most conservative, safety-first option.
5.2 Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM)
Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM) is a systematic approach to risk assessment and decision making in aviation. The Part 107 exam heavily tests ADM concepts through scenario-based questions where you must choose the safest course of action.
The DECIDE Model
The FAA recommends the DECIDE model for structured decision making:
| Step | Action | Example |
|---|---|---|
| D — Detect | Recognize that a change has occurred | "Wind has increased significantly" |
| E — Estimate | Evaluate how this change affects safety | "These gusts may exceed my drone's capability" |
| C — Choose | Select a course of action | "I should land immediately" |
| I — Identify | Determine what actions to take | "I'll fly back to the launch point using the pre-planned route" |
| D — Do | Execute the chosen action | Begin flying back and land |
| E — Evaluate | Assess the outcome of the action | "Did landing resolve the safety concern? Was that the right call?" |
The IMSAFE Checklist
Before every flight, the Remote PIC should evaluate their personal fitness using IMSAFE:
| Letter | Factor | Question |
|---|---|---|
| I | Illness | Am I feeling sick? Even a cold can impair judgment. |
| M | Medication | Am I taking any medications that could impair my abilities? |
| S | Stress | Am I under significant stress (work, family, financial)? |
| A | Alcohol | Have I consumed alcohol in the last 8 hours? Is my BAC below 0.04%? |
| F | Fatigue | Am I well-rested? Have I been awake for more than 12-15 hours? |
| E | Emotion/Eating | Am I emotionally distressed? Have I eaten recently and am I hydrated? |
Hazardous Attitudes
The FAA identifies five hazardous attitudes that lead to poor decisions in aviation:
| Hazardous Attitude | Characteristic | Antidote |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-authority | "Don't tell me what to do!" | "Follow the rules — they are usually right." |
| Impulsivity | "Do something quickly!" | "Not so fast — think first." |
| Invulnerability | "It won't happen to me." | "It COULD happen to me." |
| Macho | "I can do it — watch this!" | "Taking chances is foolish." |
| Resignation | "What's the use? I can't make a difference." | "I'm not helpless — I CAN make a difference." |
For the Exam: You WILL see questions about hazardous attitudes. The exam will describe a scenario and ask you to identify the hazardous attitude being displayed, or ask for the appropriate antidote.
Risk Management
Risk Assessment Matrix:
| Negligible Severity | Minor Severity | Major Severity | Catastrophic Severity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Probable | Medium | Serious | High | High |
| Occasional | Low | Medium | Serious | High |
| Remote | Low | Low | Medium | Serious |
| Improbable | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
PAVE Checklist for pre-flight risk assessment:
| Letter | Category | What to Assess |
|---|---|---|
| P | Pilot | Experience level, currency, fitness, stress |
| A | Aircraft | Equipment condition, battery, payload, maintenance |
| V | enVironment | Weather, airspace, terrain, obstacles, time of day |
| E | External pressures | Client deadlines, financial pressure, social pressure, schedule |
Scenario-Based Decision Making
The exam often presents scenarios like:
Scenario: You are conducting a commercial photography flight. Weather conditions are marginal (3 SM visibility, broken clouds at 800 ft). Your client is pressuring you to complete the job today because they need the photos for a presentation tomorrow.
Analysis using ADM:
- PAVE: External pressure (client deadline) is creating risk
- Hazardous attitude: Get-there-itis / impulsivity
- DECIDE: Detect (marginal conditions), Estimate (risk of violation or accident), Choose (postpone or continue with extra caution)
- Correct answer: The safest option — postpone until conditions improve, regardless of client pressure
Exam Strategy: When in doubt on ADM questions, choose the most conservative, safety-first option. The FAA always rewards the decision that prioritizes safety over mission completion.
A Remote PIC who says "I know the rules say I need authorization, but I've flown here before without any problems" is displaying which hazardous attitude?
What does the "S" in the IMSAFE checklist stand for?
The antidote for the hazardous attitude of "invulnerability" is:
The DECIDE model for aeronautical decision making begins with: