Why is neglect in performance calculations considered hazardous?

Neglect in performance calculations is considered hazardous primarily because it can contribute to aviation accidents. Accurate performance calculations are crucial for ensuring that an aircraft operates within its safe limits under various conditions. These calculations take into account factors such as weight, balance, weather, and runway conditions. When pilots or crews fail to perform these calculations correctly or neglect them entirely, they might embark on flights with an incorrect understanding of their aircraft's capabilities.

This oversight can lead to situations where, for example, an aircraft may not have enough runway length for takeoff or landing, or it may exceed its weight limits, compromising its ability to perform necessary maneuvers. These scenarios increase the risk of accidents, which is why such neglect is viewed as a serious safety concern.

Other factors, like increases in aircraft weight or reduced fuel efficiency, can indeed be outcomes of incorrect performance calculations, but they are secondary to the primary hazard: the potential for accidents. The notion that neglect in performance calculations has no effect on aviation safety contradicts the fundamental principles of safe aviation operations.