Definition
A small rotating control on the face of the attitude indicator used to move the miniature aircraft symbol up or down so it aligns with the artificial horizon line for level flight in the pilot's normal seated position.
Plain English
A knob on the attitude indicator that lets the pilot slide the little aircraft symbol up or down so it sits right on the horizon line when the airplane is actually flying level.
Context Anchor
Seen on the attitude indicator during cockpit setup and when checking that the instrument display is easy to read from the pilot’s seat.
Why Pilots Care
Correct use ensures the attitude indicator displays accurate pitch attitude, which is essential for maintaining controlled flight when outside visual references are lost.
Intuition Check
The adjustment knob does not control the airplane and does not fix a bad instrument. It only changes the position of the display reference on the instrument face.
Example Sentence 1
Once established in level cruise, the pilot turned the adjustment knob to align the miniature aircraft with the horizon bar.
Example Sentence 2
After leveling off in cruise the pilot made a small turn of the adjustment knob to fine-tune the pitch reference.