Commercial aviation's high safety record is attributed to standardized decision-making through Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), a practice largely lacking in General Aviation (GA) which has a significantly higher accident rate.
SOPs provide consistent, step-by-step guides for predictable and safe operations, creating a "shared mental model" among crew, reducing workload, and ensuring adherence to critical criteria like stabilized approaches.
General Aviation pilots, often operating complex aircraft solo, can significantly enhance safety by adopting tailored SOPs, which act as a "virtual co-pilot" to reduce reliance on memory, mitigate "get-there-itis," and establish professional, objective safety minimums.
Gabriel Araya is an A320 pilot and Sim Instructor. With over 14 years of experience including part 91, 135, and 121, he has a focus on standardization, safety and application of airline discipline to part 91.
![Pilots in the cockpit. [Credit: Shutterstock]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/shutterstock_1661552755-scaled1.jpg)
