Plain English Meaning

A nervous, worried feeling about something the student thinks might go wrong. In aviation, it can get in the way of clear thinking and good flying.

Full Definition

A feeling of worry, unease, or apprehension about a real or perceived threat, which in flight training can interfere with a student's ability to learn, perform tasks, and respond correctly to situations in the cockpit.

Context Anchor

Seen in human behavior and flight training discussions, especially when describing how students react to pressure, fear, mistakes, first solos, tests, or unfamiliar flight situations.

Derivation

From the Latin 'anxius', meaning 'troubled in mind', which itself comes from 'angere', meaning 'to choke or squeeze'. The original sense of a tight, squeezing feeling matches how anxiety actually feels in the body — a useful reminder that it is a physical , not just a mental one.