Definition
A pitch attitude held steady at one fixed angle relative to the horizon, with the airplane's nose neither rising nor falling during a phase of flight such as the takeoff roll, climb segment, or approach.
Plain English
Holding the nose at the same up-or-down angle and not letting it move while you fly through that part of the maneuver.
Context Anchor
Encountered during the normal takeoff roll and the first moments after liftoff, when the pilot raises the nose and then holds a stable takeoff attitude.
Derivation
Constant' comes from the Latin 'constare,' meaning 'to stand firm' or 'stay the same.' 'Pitch' refers to the up-and-down angle of the nose. Together the phrase simply means a pitch angle that stays put.
Why Pilots Care
Maintaining this attitude allows airspeed to build to the best climb speed before the nose is raised further, preventing a stall or excessive drag.
Intuition Check
Do not read “attitude” as mood, or “pitch” as sound or throwing. Here, “pitch attitude” means where the airplane’s nose is pointed compared with the horizon, and “constant” means keeping that nose position steady.
Example Sentence 1
As the airspeed built during the takeoff roll, the pilot rotated to the climb attitude and held a constant-pitch attitude until the airplane lifted off on its own.
Example Sentence 2
A constant-pitch attitude during the early climb keeps the airplane from getting too nose-high before it has enough airspeed.