Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT)

intent

use this skill when a pilot-in-command, second-in-command, flight dispatcher, chief pilot, director of operations, or flight-school instructor needs to run a pre-flight Flight Risk Assessment Tool for a single planned flight under Part 91, 135, 137, 141, public-use, or business-aviation operations. the skill guides scoped flight intake, PAVE data capture (pilot, aircraft, environment, external pressures) with IMSAFE pilot self-assessment (illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue, eating), category scoring with rationale, total-score mapping to green/yellow/red, per-hazard mitigation planning, and dispatch-authority recommendation (PIC alone, chief pilot consult, director of operations consult, or cancel). produces a draft FRAT log with re-FRAT triggers. the output supports but never replaces the pilot-in-command's go/no-go decision under 14 CFR §91.3 and the operator's General Operations Manual.

inputs

flight and operator context:

• operator / certificate holder name (e.g., "ABC Air", "private owner", "XYZ Flight School")
• regulation part (91, 135, 137, 141, 121, or public-use)
• mission type (cross-country VFR, IFR repositioning, ag application, training, Part 135 charter, air-medical, air-tour, ferry, maintenance test)
• aircraft type / model / N-number (redacted to last 3 for FRAT log)
• PIC role (sole pilot, PIC with SIC, dual-instruction, check airman)
• departure, destination, alternate airport(s) identifiers (ICAO or FAA)
• estimated time of departure (UTC)
• planned route summary (direct, airway, VFR flight following, IFR routing)
• planned fuel (block fuel, reserve, alternates)
• FRAT type (initial or re-FRAT, and what changed if re-FRAT)

pilot inputs:

• IMSAFE self-assessment (illness, medication, stress, alcohol within 8h, fatigue, eating status)
• certificate level and ratings (SEL, MEL, IR, SES, multi, type rating)
• total flight time and time-in-type
• recent experience (last 30/60/90 days in aircraft type)
• instrument currency status under 14 CFR §61.57(c) if IFR flight
• dual instruction / BFR currency (last 90 days)
• WINGS proficiency phase (if applicable)
• familiarity with departure, en-route, destination airports
• special endorsements required (high-altitude, mountain, complex, high-performance, tailwheel)

aircraft inputs:

• aircraft type, equipment fit (IFR-capable, certified GPS, autopilot, ADS-B In, weather datalink, terrain awareness warning system, traffic collision avoidance system, radar, anti/de-ice, oxygen)
• maintenance event log (MEL / CDL items deferred, operational impact)
• open squawks vs deferred items
• recency of last 100-hour, annual, progressive inspection
• planned block fuel, IFR/VFR reserve, alternate fuel, contingency
• weight and balance (within envelope, CG margin, density-altitude adjusted weight)
• takeoff and landing distance vs runway available (with safety margin 1.6x for Part 135 if applicable)
• known quirks (gear retraction, hot-start procedure, vacuum system, single-vacuum source, single-alternator dependency)

environment inputs (weather, airspace, terrain):

• departure, en-route, destination, alternate ceiling and visibility (VFR/MVFR/IFR/LIFR)
• wind direction, speed, gust, crosswind component, runway alignment
• convective activity (storms within 50 nm, line activity, embedded cells)
• icing (forecast/reported, freezing level vs cruise altitude)
• turbulence (forecast/PIREPs, mountain wave, low-level wind shear)
• density altitude at departure, destination, en-route
• terrain type (mountainous, over-water, hostile, night minimum en-route altitude considerations)
• daylight condition (day, civil twilight, night)
• NOTAMs, temporary flight restrictions, runway closures, instrument landing system / approach status
• alternate airport availability and weather (Part 135 / IFR requirement compliance)
• source: official weather briefing (Leidos, ForeFlight, AOA briefing, flight service station)

external pressure inputs:

• passenger expectations and pressure to launch
• business / customer / charter pressure
• family or personal events at destination
• schedule reserve (hard time at destination vs ETA buffer)
• get-home-itis indicators (deadhead leg home, weekend, holiday)
• reputational pressure (training check-ride, ferry deadline, news-crew lift)
• crew rest legality vs comfort
• cost-of-cancellation perception

regulatory and compliance context:

• operator's published FRAT framework (if different from FAA Safety Team FRAT October 2024 release)
• operator's scoring scale and green/yellow/red thresholds (if published)
• operator's General Operations Manual dispatch procedures
• 14 CFR Part 91, 121, 135, 137, or 141 as applicable
• certificate holder currency and medical requirements

edge cases and dependencies:

• fatigue or illness onset during pre-flight walk-through (new IMSAFE flag)
• weather deterioration before ETD (triggers re-FRAT)
• MEL item discovery at preflight (operational impact assessment)
• fuel-quantity discrepancy (fuel planning recalculation)
• crew change after initial assessment (new IMSAFE intake)
• passenger count or weight change (W&B recalculation)
• airfield closure or runway status change (alternate suitability review)

procedure

phase 1: flight and operator context

1. ask one question at a time for operator name, regulation part, mission type, aircraft type, PIC role, departure and destination airports, estimated time of departure (UTC), and FRAT type (initial or re-FRAT). do not proceed until all seven inputs are confirmed.

2. confirm scoring convention with the user. default to FAA Safety Team FRAT (October 2024 release) with per-item scale 0-3 unless the user's operator publishes a different FRAT or scoring scale. if operator publishes a custom FRAT, use that and note the source in the output. explain the mapping:

   • score 0: item not present or fully mitigated.
   • score 1: low risk, proceed with standard procedures.
   • score 2: moderate risk, single mitigation required.
   • score 3: high risk, multiple mitigations or operational restriction required. explain the default green/yellow/red mapping (green 0-14, yellow 15-29, red 30+) or use operator thresholds if provided.

phase 2: pilot (P) , IMSAFE and currency

3. walk IMSAFE self-assessment one letter at a time. for each letter, capture status (OK, at-risk, or disqualifying) and rationale. use this guide:

   • I (illness): cold, congestion, GI upset, fever = at-risk; acute illness impairing performance = disqualifying.
   • M (medication): OTC drowsy medication within wait period = at-risk; DNI medication or medication causing impairment = disqualifying.
   • S (stress): notable life event, recent argument = at-risk; acute grief, recent loss, divorce filing, financial crisis = disqualifying.
   • A (alcohol): within 24 hours but more than 8 hours = at-risk; within 8 hours, BAC ≥ 0.04, or currently impaired = disqualifying. 14 CFR §91.17 prohibits flight within 8 hours of alcohol consumption or if BAC ≥ 0.04.
   • F (fatigue): less than 8 hours sleep or duty time greater than 8 hours = at-risk; less than 6 hours sleep, duty greater than 10 hours, or microsleep signs = disqualifying.
   • E (eating): skipped a meal or less than 1 liter water = at-risk; no food for 8 hours or dehydration symptoms = disqualifying. if any IMSAFE indicator is disqualifying, flag the flight as no-go immediately and restate plainly: "this flight is no-go due to [disqualifying item]. do not proceed to aircraft or environment assessment."

4. capture currency and experience items. score each 0-3 per this guide:

   • 0: current, in-type, high recency, familiar with airports, all endorsements current.
   • 1: current but lower recency or less familiar with one airport.
   • 2: marginal recency, unfamiliar destination, single endorsement gap relative to mission.
   • 3: recently lapsed currency, no recent in-type, unfamiliar high-density or mountain destination, missing required endorsement. items to assess: certificate level and ratings, total time, time-in-type, recent experience (last 30/60/90 days), instrument currency under §61.57(c) if IFR, dual instruction / BFR recency, WINGS proficiency phase, familiarity with departure/en-route/destination airports, required endorsements (high-altitude, mountain, complex, high-performance, tailwheel).

phase 3: aircraft (A)

5. capture aircraft items. score each 0-3 per this guide:
   • 0: fully equipped for the mission, no open MEL, ample fuel, comfortable W&B and performance margin.
   • 1: minor MEL item not affecting safety; standard fuel reserve; all systems nominal.
   • 2: MEL item affecting redundancy (e.g., one nav system inop); marginal performance margin; non-critical equipment inop.
   • 3: multiple MELs, fuel reserve close to legal minimum, marginal runway available, weight at or near MGTOW, missing equipment required for the mission (e.g., VFR-only aircraft into IMC forecast). items to assess: aircraft type and equipment (IFR-capable, certified GPS, autopilot, ADS-B In, weather datalink, terrain awareness warning system, traffic collision avoidance system, radar, anti/de-ice, oxygen), MEL and CDL deferred items and operational impact, open squawks and deferred maintenance, recency of last 100-hour / annual / progressive inspection, planned block fuel and IFR/VFR reserve, alternate fuel available, contingency fuel, weight and balance within envelope with adequate CG margin, density-altitude adjusted performance, takeoff and landing distance available vs required (1.6x margin if Part 135), known aircraft quirks (gear, hot-start, vacuum, single-vacuum source, single-alternator).

phase 4: environment (V)

6. capture environment items for departure, en-route, destination, and alternates. score each 0-3 per this guide:
   • 0: VFR throughout, light winds aligned with runways, day, no NOTAMs / TFRs, low density altitude.
   • 1: MVFR with wide margins, moderate wind aligned with runway, late afternoon or civil twilight, normal density altitude.
   • 2: IFR with stable trend, crosswind near pilot's recent demonstrated capability, night, high density altitude, isolated convection outside planned routing.
   • 3: LIFR or convective activity in arrival window, crosswind / gust exceeding aircraft limit or pilot recent experience, icing in cruise altitude with non-FIKI aircraft, no suitable alternate available, single-engine night operation over inhospitable terrain, active TFR conflict. items to assess: ceiling and visibility at departure/en-route/destination/alternates (VFR/MVFR/IFR/LIFR), wind direction/speed/gust/crosswind component/runway alignment, convective activity (storms within 50 nm, line activity, embedded cells), icing (forecast/reported, freezing level vs cruise altitude), turbulence (forecast/PIREPs, mountain wave, low-level wind shear), density altitude at departure/destination/en-route, terrain (mountainous, over-water, hostile, night MEA), daylight (day, civil twilight, night), NOTAMs/TFRs/runway closures/ILS status, alternate airport suitability and weather per Part 135 or IFR requirement.

phase 5: external pressures (E)

7. capture external pressures. score each 0-3 per this guide:
   • 0: no pressure, neutral schedule, flight could slip 24 hours with no penalty.
   • 1: mild preference for on-time, no hard appointment.
   • 2: notable schedule pressure, paying passengers or charter, modest reputation cost on delay.
   • 3: hard time pressure (family event, end-of-day deadhead, news-crew lift, check-ride), pilot mentally committed to "have-to-go", high cost-of-cancellation perception. items to assess: passenger expectations and launch pressure, business / customer / charter pressure, family or personal events at destination, schedule reserve (hard time vs ETA buffer), get-home-itis (deadhead leg home, weekend, holiday), reputational pressure (check-ride, ferry deadline), crew rest legality vs comfort, cost-of-cancellation perception.

phase 6: scoring and decision logic

8. compute total score by summing P + A + V + E subscores. apply the default green/yellow/red mapping (green 0-14, yellow 15-29, red 30+) or operator thresholds. apply single-score-3 elevation rule: any single score-3 item in any category elevates the final color at least one tier (e.g., a yellow with a score-3 item becomes red). apply IMSAFE veto: any disqualifying IMSAFE item is no-go regardless of total score or color. apply regulatory veto: any item violating 14 CFR (alcohol within 8 hours, VFR-only into IMC, sub-minimum fuel, expired medical, no required currency) is no-go regardless of total score.

9. for every item scored 2 or 3, write a specific, operational mitigation. mitigations must be verifiable and actionable. weak mitigation: "monitor weather." strong mitigation: "delay departure 2 hours for the line of convection to clear KJFK; re-FRAT at 1630Z; alternate KSWF with 45 minutes reserve." if no acceptable mitigation exists for a score-3 item, recommend cancel or delay until conditions change. do not write hand-wave mitigations to move the color to green.

10. provide dispatch-authority recommendation using this mapping:

    • green, no score-3, no IMSAFE flag, no regulatory veto: PIC may launch under normal procedures.
    • yellow, or single score-3 item with accepted mitigation: PIC plus chief pilot or director of operations consult; mitigations logged in dispatch release.
    • red, multiple score-3 items, or unmitigated score-3: director of operations or chief pilot decision; default position is delay or cancel.
    • IMSAFE disqualifying / regulatory veto / unmitigated score-3 with no acceptable mitigation: cancel or delay.

11. list re-FRAT triggers (conditions that require running this assessment again):

    • weather deterioration at departure, en-route, destination, or alternate beyond planned envelope.
    • new or worse MEL item, maintenance discovery, or fuel-quantity discrepancy.
    • IMSAFE change (fatigue, illness, stressor, medication, BAC).
    • crew change, passenger change, or mission-profile change.
    • delay greater than 2 hours from original ETD.
    • any report of an unsafe condition along the route.

12. produce output using the output contract format below. include the draft banner at the top and bottom (section 9).

decision points

IMSAFE disqualifying item detected: if any IMSAFE indicator is disqualifying (acute illness impairing performance, DNI medication, acute grief / divorce filing / financial crisis, alcohol within 8 hours or BAC ≥ 0.04, less than 6 hours sleep or duty greater than 10 hours, no food for 8 hours or dehydration symptoms), the flight is no-go. do not proceed to aircraft, environment, or external pressures assessment. restate plainly: "this flight is no-go due to [item]. the pilot-in-command cannot legally operate an aircraft under these conditions per 14 CFR [citation]."

regulatory veto triggered: if any item directly violates 14 CFR (e.g., VFR-only aircraft departing into forecast IMC, fuel reserve below legal minimum, expired medical certificate, lapsed instrument currency for IFR flight, alcohol within 8 hours per §91.17), the flight is no-go regardless of PAVE score or color. restate the regulatory violation and recommend cancel or delay.

single score-3 item identified: if any item in any category (P, A, V, E) scores 3, the final color must be elevated at least one tier from the raw total. for example, if the PAVE total is 16 (yellow) but a single score-3 item exists (e.g., IFR forecast with marginal alternate), the final color is red, and the dispatch-authority recommendation becomes director of operations consult or cancel.

acceptable mitigation exists for score-3 item: if a score-3 item has a specific, verifiable, operational mitigation (e.g., delay 2 hours for convection to clear, reduce cruise altitude to stay below freezing level, request crew rest extension), document the mitigation in the hazards-and-mitigations section. the mitigation allows the assessment to proceed to yellow or red dispatch consult, but does not automatically make the color green.

no acceptable mitigation for score-3 item: if a score-3 item has no workable mitigation (e.g., aircraft is VFR-only and forecast is IMC with no alternate, pilot is acutely fatigued with no relief crew available), recommend cancel or delay until the score-3 item resolves. do not invent a mitigation to justify launch.

user pressure to downgrade color or override veto: if the user argues for a downgrade despite a disqualifying IMSAFE item, regulatory veto, or unmitigated score-3, hold the assessment and restate the veto plainly. example: "the assessment shows the pilot has less than 6 hours sleep, which is disqualifying per the IMSAFE standard and fatigue research. this cannot be balanced against aircraft condition or weather. the recommendation is to delay until the pilot has 8+ hours rest."

operator-specific FRAT framework provided: if the user supplies an operator-published FRAT (different scoring scale, different color thresholds, different hazard categories), use that framework instead of the FAA default. note the operator and source in the output.

weather, MEL, or mission change after initial assessment: if the user reports a change to weather, MEL status, fuel quantity, crew, passenger load, or mission profile after the initial assessment, run re-FRAT on the new inputs. do not blend old and new data.

output contract

deliverable format: a single markdown FRAT Log document, plaintext, titled "FRAT Log , DRAFT".

structure: 9 numbered sections (see output format below).

metadata header: operator / certificate holder name and part, PIC role, aircraft type and equipment summary (N-number redacted to last 3 if applicable), route (departure, destination, alternates), ETD (UTC), mission type, FRAT type (initial or re-FRAT), date prepared (UTC), and status banner stating "DRAFT , FINAL GO / NO-GO IS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DECISION".

section 1 (pilot): IMSAFE table with columns for letter, status (OK / at-risk / disqualifying), notes. currency and experience table with columns for item, score (0-3), rationale. pilot subtotal.

section 2 (aircraft): table with columns for item, score (0-3), rationale. aircraft subtotal.

section 3 (environment): table with columns for item, score (0-3), rationale. environment subtotal.

section 4 (external pressures): table with columns for item, score (0-3), rationale. external pressures subtotal.

section 5 (total and color): total score (numeric), color (green / yellow / red), and list of elevation triggers applied (single score-3, IMSAFE veto, regulatory veto, etc.).

section 6 (hazards and mitigations): table with columns for hazard (scored item), score, mitigation (specific and operational), owner (chief pilot, dispatcher, PIC, maintenance, etc.), verification method or condition.

section 7 (dispatch-authority recommendation): one-sentence recommendation (PIC alone / chief pilot consult / director of operations consult / cancel-or-delay). rationale in 1-3 sentences explaining the top risk or veto.

section 8 (re-FRAT triggers): bulleted list of conditions that require this FRAT to be re-run before takeoff.

section 9 (mandatory review banner): full disclaimer stating that the FRAT log is a draft prepared with AI assistance to support pre-flight risk assessment, NOT a flight release, NOT a dispatch authorization, NOT a weather briefing, and NOT a substitute for the pilot-in-command's authority under 14 CFR §91.3, §91.103, §91.13, and the operator's General Operations Manual. PIC, dispatcher, chief pilot, director of operations, and maintenance retain decision authority.

file location: delivered as a markdown text block in the conversation. user must copy and paste into their safety management system or flight release system.

redaction: N-numbers redacted to last 3 digits. no passenger names, crew personal information, or specific customer details in the output.

confidentiality: operational data (route, passenger count, aircraft tail) treated as sensitive. output is for internal operator use only.

---

output format template

# FRAT Log ,  DRAFT

**Operator / Certificate:** [name + part]
**PIC role:** [Sole pilot / PIC+SIC / dual-instruction / check airman]
**Aircraft:** [type, equipment summary, N-number redacted]
**Route:** [DEP → DEST, ALT(s)]
**ETD (UTC):** [time]
**Mission type:** [...]
**FRAT type:** [Initial / Re-FRAT ,  what changed]
**Prepared:** [date, UTC]
**Status:** DRAFT ,  FINAL GO / NO-GO IS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DECISION

---

## 1. Pilot (P) ,  IMSAFE + Currency

**IMSAFE:**

| Letter | Status (OK / At-Risk / Disqualifying) | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| I (Illness) | [status] | [notes] |
| M (Medication) | [status] | [notes] |
| S (Stress) | [status] | [notes] |
| A (Alcohol) | [status] | [notes] |
| F (Fatigue) | [status] | [notes] |
| E (Eating) | [status] | [notes] |

**Currency & Experience:**

| Item | Score (0, 3) | Rationale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [item] | [score] | [rationale] |

**P subtotal:** [n]

---

## 2. Aircraft (A)

| Item | Score (0, 3) | Rationale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [item] | [score] | [rationale] |

**A subtotal:** [n]

---

## 3. enVironment (V)

| Item | Score (0, 3) | Rationale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [item] | [score] | [rationale] |

**V subtotal:** [n]

---

## 4. External Pressures (E)

| Item | Score (0, 3) | Rationale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [item] | [score] | [rationale] |

**E subtotal:** [n]

---

## 5. Total Score & Color

**Total:** [P + A + V + E]
**Color:** Green / Yellow / Red
**Elevation triggers applied:** [single Score-3, IMSAFE veto, regulatory veto, etc. ,  list any applied]

---

## 6. Named Hazards & Mitigations

| Hazard | Score | Mitigation | Owner | Verification |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [hazard] | [score] | [specific mitigation] | [chief pilot / dispatcher / PIC / maintenance / etc.] | [condition or action to verify] |

---

## 7. Dispatch-Authority Recommendation

[Sentence ,  PIC alone / Chief Pilot consult / Director of Operations consult / Cancel-or-Delay]

**Rationale:** [1-3 sentences explaining the primary risk, veto, or reason for recommendation.]

---

## 8. Re-FRAT Triggers

- [Condition that requires re-FRAT]
- [Condition that requires re-FRAT]

---

## 9. Mandatory Review Banner

This FRAT log is a DRAFT prepared with AI assistance to support pre-flight risk assessment. It is NOT a flight release, NOT a dispatch authorization, NOT a weather briefing, and NOT a substitute for the pilot-in-command's authority and final responsibility under 14 CFR §91.3, §91.103, §91.13, and the operator's General Operations Manual. The PIC, dispatcher, chief pilot, director of operations, and maintenance personnel as applicable retain decision authority. Re-run this assessment if any input materially changes before takeoff.

---

outcome signal

successful FRAT outcome:

• user confirms all required inputs (flight context, IMSAFE, currency, aircraft, environment, external pressures).
• skill produces a completed FRAT Log in markdown format with all 9 sections filled.
• DRAFT banner is visible at the top and in section 9.
• score totals are correct. color mapping is applied and justified (single score-3 elevation or regulatory veto if applicable).
• every item scored 2 or 3 has a specific, operational mitigation in the hazards-and-mitigations table.
• dispatch-authority recommendation is clear (PIC alone, consult,