Environmental risks, one of the four broad hazard categories the FAA identifies in its PAVE acronym (see the sidebar at the bottom of the opposite page), typically involve weather and terrain, but also can include traffic, navaids, obstacles and even wake turbulence. When several such hazards are present at the same time, they can easily overwhelm a pilot and increase the risk level dramatically. Applying proper risk management techniques—before and during the flight—will almost always identify them. It is then up to the pilot to assess them and apply effective mitigations to lower the risk level. Sometimes, the only acceptable mitigation is to delay or cancel the flight, or divert to the nearest suitable airport.
It can be a tough decision to change or cancel plans when there are expectations to meet at the other end. And not meeting expectations is part of the decision-making process when you cancel. In fact, it’s a guaranteed outcome. Pushing on in the face of a challenging environment, on the other hand, may or may not have adverse consequences. That decision also has the benefit of meeting those expectations, even though possible outcomes include catastrophe.
