The weather at the destination is forecast to be marginal, the passengers have a dinner reservation, and you’ve been awake since 5am. Each factor alone might be fine. Together they’re exactly the kind of chain that accident reports describe afterward.
General aviation accidents are more often traced to decisions than to stick-and-rudder skills. The FAA’s Risk Management Handbook is the agency’s guide to the decision side of flying: identifying hazards, assessing risk, and using simple tools such as the PAVE and IMSAFE checklists to make better go/no-go calls before and during a flight.
ASA prints the FAA-H-8083-2A edition as ASA-8083-2A.
Quick answer: The Risk Management Handbook (ASA-8083-2A) is ASA’s printed edition of the FAA’s FAA-H-8083-2A, the FAA’s guide to identifying hazards and managing risk in flight operations. It’s for student and certificated pilots, flight instructors, and anyone preparing for the risk management elements of the ACS, available on Skyfarer and at Skyfarer Shop.
At a glance
- Source. The FAA’s Risk Management Handbook, FAA-H-8083-2A.
- Printed by. Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA).
- Subject. Hazard identification, risk assessment, and aeronautical decision-making.
- Readers. Pilots at every level and flight instructors.
Putting it to work
- Set personal minimums. Write down your own limits for weather, wind, and fatigue before you need them.
- Use PAVE before each flight. Consider the Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, and External pressures.
- Run IMSAFE on yourself. Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotion.
- Debrief your own flights. Note any decision you’d make differently next time.
Pilot tip: Personal minimums are only useful if you set them on the ground. Write them on a card in your flight bag so the decision is already made before the passengers arrive.
Where to buy
Risk Management Handbook (ASA-8083-2A) is sold by Skyfarer Shop. Find it on the Skyfarer marketplace or order directly from Skyfarer Shop. Either link shows the current price, shipping options and return terms.
Frequently asked questions
Isn’t this handbook free from the FAA?
The FAA publishes it free online. This is ASA’s printed edition.
Is it relevant to checkrides?
Yes. Risk management elements appear throughout the Airman Certification Standards.
Which version is it?
FAA-H-8083-2A.
