AC 60-22

Aeronautical Decision Making (AC 60-22)

Advisory Circular 60-22, Aeronautical Decision Making, is a free FAA publication that provides guidance on improving pilot judgment and decision-making skills. It introduces the ADM process, hazardous attitudes and their antidotes, crew resource management concepts adapted for single-pilot operations, and stress management techniques.

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Why This Document Matters

This AC is the foundation of everything the FAA teaches about pilot judgment. It introduced the five hazardous attitudes (anti-authority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho, resignation) and their antidotes that are heavily tested on every FAA knowledge exam. While the PHAK Chapter 2 summarizes ADM concepts, this AC is the original source material with deeper case studies and practical scenarios. For CFI candidates, understanding this document thoroughly is essential since teaching ADM is a core responsibility.

Study This Document in One Loop

What is the Study Loop?

A 30-60 minute scenario-first session that replaces hours of passive reading.

Stage 1

Scenario

It's Friday evening. You've had a 12-hour workday and got 5 hours of sleep. Your boss wants you to fly your family to the lake house 90 minutes away — he's got an important client meeting at a nearby resort on Saturday and suggested you join. Weather is VFR but marginal (ceilings 2,500, wind gusty). You're instrument-rated but not current. Decision time: go or no-go?

Stage 2

Decision

Apply the ADM process and identify: what is the single factor most likely to kill you on this flight? Which of the 5 hazardous attitudes are you most at risk of exhibiting right now?

Write your answer before you open the handbook. That exposes the gap.

Stage 3

Targeted Learning

Open only these sections of the AC 60-22:

Chapter 3 — The ADM Process (DECIDE model: Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, Evaluate)
Chapter 4 — Hazardous Attitudes and antidotes (anti-authority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho, resignation)
Chapter 2 — Stress Management and its role in decision-making
Chapter 5 — Crew Resource Management adapted for single-pilot

Stage 4

Debrief

Compare your Decision to what the handbook says:

?Fatigue + pressure from authority + family on board + marginal WX = every hazardous attitude is activated. Which two are strongest for you personally?
?DECIDE model: can you walk through D-E-C-I-D-E for this scenario in under 60 seconds?
?"I've flown in worse." Which hazardous attitude is that? What's the antidote?
?External pressure (boss, family) vs. internal red flags (fatigue, currency). Which one do you trust in the decision?

Stage 5

Reinforcement

Turn your biggest miss into fast-recall rules:

Five hazardous attitudes: Anti-authority, Impulsivity, Invulnerability, Macho, Resignation. Know the antidote for each.
Antidotes: "Follow the rules." "Not so fast — think first." "It could happen to me." "Taking chances is foolish." "I'm not helpless."
The hardest ADM decision is saying no when you want to say yes. That's exactly when the AC applies.

What Order to Read the AC 60-22

Don't read by chapter number. Work the four phases. Start with whichever you're weakest in.

Survival Thinking

“What can hurt me?”

•Chapter 4 — Hazardous Attitudes (the ones that get pilots killed — memorize)

Interpretation

“What am I looking at?”

•Chapter 3 — The ADM Process and DECIDE model (apply to real scenarios, not textbook)

Prediction

“What will happen?”

•Chapter 2 — Stress Management (recognizing your personal stress signals)
•Chapter 5 — Single-Pilot Resource Management

Checkride Mode

“Can I explain it under pressure?”

•Chapter 4 — Recite hazardous attitudes and antidotes verbatim. Every oral has this question.
•Chapter 3 — DPE presents a scenario; you apply DECIDE out loud

Chapter-by-Chapter Guide

What each section covers and the key topics to study

The ADM Process

The systematic approach to aeronautical decision-making including risk assessment and situation awareness.

Key Topics

DECIDE modelRisk assessmentSituation awarenessPAVE checklist

Hazardous Attitudes

The five hazardous attitudes that interfere with good judgment and their corresponding antidotes.

Key Topics

Anti-authority and its antidoteImpulsivity and its antidoteInvulnerability and its antidoteMacho and its antidoteResignation and its antidote

Study Tips

Memorize all five hazardous attitudes and their antidotes — this is one of the most frequently tested topics on every FAA knowledge test.
Practice identifying hazardous attitudes in scenario questions. The knowledge test will describe a pilot behavior and ask you to identify which attitude it represents.
Understand the DECIDE model: Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, Evaluate. The DPE may ask you to walk through a decision using this framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the five hazardous attitudes in aviation?

The five hazardous attitudes are: Anti-authority ('Don't tell me'), Impulsivity ('Do something quickly'), Invulnerability ('It won't happen to me'), Macho ('I can do it'), and Resignation ('What's the use'). Each has a specific antidote that pilots should internalize.

Is this AC still current even though it was published in 1991?

Yes. AC 60-22 has never been superseded or canceled. The ADM concepts, hazardous attitudes, and decision-making frameworks it introduced remain the foundation of FAA human factors education and are heavily referenced in current handbooks like the PHAK.

Quick Facts

Document ID: AC 60-22
Last Updated: 1991
Cost: Free
Publisher: FAA

Applies To

StudentPrivateInstrumentCommercialCFI

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