Plain English Meaning
The airspeed display in a glass cockpit, shown as a sliding vertical strip of numbers next to the attitude display. The number lined up in the middle is the airplane's current speed.
Full Definition
An airspeed display on a glass cockpit primary flight display that presents speed as a vertical moving scale (a 'tape') alongside the attitude indicator. The current airspeed is read against a fixed pointer or window in the center of the tape, while the numbers scroll up or down as speed changes. Color-coded bands and bugs along the tape mark operating ranges and reference speeds.
Context Anchor
Seen on electronic flight displays in aircraft with glass-panel instruments, especially while scanning the main flight instruments during takeoff, climb, approach, and landing.
Derivation
Called a 'tape' because the scrolling vertical strip of numbers resembles a measuring tape running past a fixed window. The pilot reads whichever number is currently aligned with the reference mark.
Why Pilots Care
Gives continuous, at-a-glance airspeed information needed to stay within safe speed ranges during every phase of flight.
Intuition Check
Do not think of “tape” as sticky tape or a recording tape here. In this instrument, “tape” means a vertical strip-style display of airspeed numbers.
Example Sentence 1
As the aircraft accelerated down the runway, the numbers on the airspeed tape indicator rolled upward past the rotation speed bug.
Example Sentence 2
On final approach the airspeed tape indicator showed the target speed for the landing configuration.