What should a pilot observe to maintain effective situational awareness?

Maintaining effective situational awareness as a pilot is crucial for ensuring safety and making informed decisions. Observing the current weather conditions and nearby traffic provides real-time information that can significantly impact flight safety and navigation.

By being aware of weather changes, a pilot can anticipate and respond to potential hazards such as turbulence, storms, or wind changes that could affect flight planning and control. Additionally, monitoring nearby traffic allows the pilot to assess the positions and movements of other aircraft, which is essential for avoiding collisions and ensuring safe separation in busy airspace.

While considering other aspects like external lights on other aircraft or instrument readings is important, they do not encompass the broader context of situational awareness. The history of the aircraft does not provide immediate information regarding current conditions that directly affect the flight in progress. Therefore, focusing on current weather conditions and the proximity of other aircraft is key to maintaining situational awareness during flight.