POH
Pilot's Operating Handbook
The manufacturer-provided handbook for operating a specific aircraft.
A Pilot's Operating Handbook is the manufacturer's handbook for a specific aircraft model. It contains aircraft specifications, normal and emergency procedures, performance data (takeoff and landing distances, climb rates, cruise performance), weight and balance, and operating limitations.
For newer aircraft (manufactured after 1979), the POH is also the FAA-approved Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) and must be carried in the aircraft. For older aircraft, the AFM may be a separate, shorter document, and the POH supplements it.
The performance numbers in the POH are derived from flight test under specific conditions, typically with a new aircraft and a test pilot. Real-world numbers — older airframes, average pilots, hot or high conditions — are often 10–20% less optimistic.
When it matters
DPEs ask POH questions: where are the performance charts, what limitations apply, what are the V-speeds. Knowing where to find answers in the POH matters as much as memorizing them.
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