Personal I.M.S.A.F.E.

Whenever I decide to go flying I always perform a mental IMSAFE. It is something that I have done since hearing of incidents and crashes about 3 decades ago. Do other pilots here do this ?

If I have had a cold or some issue, have been given some medication, feel a bit stressed over anything at all, had a few too many the night before, feel tired or have not had a good feed I don't even consider flying. There is a report just released about the Vortex Air pilot who fell asleep & overflew King Island & woke up 78ks away last November. He hadn't slept for 24 hours. The odd thing is that after turning around & landing at King Island he spoke to his boss & then they agreed he should fly straight back to Moorabbin. I think this is poor airmanship on the part of the pilot & the company & assume commercial pressures make these things happen. The fact that there were no passengers involved is irrelevant in my mind.

See Snoozing pilot who overflew destination had been awake for 24 hours

There are days when I wanted to go flying but get to the aero club, have a coffee and say no. No real reason, I just don’t feel 100%. I don’t try to analyse it, just stay in the clubhouse.

I have never used IMSAFE or any other aid to being sensible. If I want to fly I just go through all the reasons I shouldn't as a matter of course and if I have any doubt, I don't fly. Commercial pilots have an altogether outlook and that is one of the reasons I didn't go that way.