Plain English Meaning

A short, memorized list of the few must-do steps for an emergency, used when there is no time to pull out the full checklist and read it.

Full Definition

A condensed emergency or abnormal checklist containing only the most critical, time-sensitive action items a pilot must perform immediately, without consulting the full written checklist. It is intended to be memorized and used when a situation does not allow time to locate and read the complete checklist.

Context Anchor

Seen in emergency procedures, cockpit quick-reference materials, and training scenarios where the pilot must act quickly but still follow an organized sequence.

Derivation

‘Abbreviated’ comes from the Latin brevis, meaning ‘short.’ Here it simply means a shortened version — the -down list of only the immediate, life-saving steps.