Definition
A flight condition in which the airplane's pitch attitude — the angle of the nose relative to the horizon — is held steady at a chosen value while other parameters such as bank or airspeed change. In a chandelle, the pilot establishes a pitch attitude during the first 90 degrees of turn and then holds that same pitch attitude constant through the remainder of the maneuver as the airplane decelerates and the bank is gradually rolled out.
Plain English
Keeping the nose pointed at the same angle above the horizon and not letting it rise or fall, even as the airplane slows down or the wings level out.
Context Anchor
Used in chandelle training when describing what the pilot does after reaching the highest pitch attitude near the halfway point of the maneuver.
Derivation
From Latin 'constans' meaning 'standing firm, unchanging,' and 'pitch' from Old English 'picchen' meaning 'to fix or set in place.' Together they describe a pitch attitude that is fixed and held — not allowed to drift up or down.
Why Pilots Care
Allows the airplane to trade airspeed for altitude in a controlled way so the maneuver ends exactly 180 degrees from the start heading at minimum controllable airspeed.
Intuition Check
Constant pitch does not mean constant airspeed, and in this context it does not mean propeller blade angle. It means keeping the airplane’s nose attitude steady relative to the horizon.
Example Sentence 1
After passing the 90-degree point of the chandelle, the pilot held a constant pitch attitude and slowly rolled out the bank.
Example Sentence 2
With constant pitch established the pilot begins a slow rollout toward wings level as the 180-degree point approaches.