Definition
A control input or procedural response made by the pilot to counter an undesired aircraft state, deviation, or sensory illusion and return the aircraft to the intended flight path or attitude.
Plain English
What the pilot does to fix something that is going wrong with the aircraft's flight path or attitude.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying and optical illusion discussions when a pilot must notice that what they see may be misleading and respond in a controlled, safe way.
Derivation
From Latin 'corrigere' meaning 'to make straight, set right.' In aviation, the action that 'sets right' a deviation from the intended flight path.
Why Pilots Care
Taking timely corrective action prevents loss of control when visual references are unreliable.
Intuition Check
Corrective action does not mean a vague intention to be more careful. In aviation, it means a specific response that corrects a known problem, such as trusting the flight instruments instead of a misleading outside view.
Example Sentence 1
When the pilot noticed the aircraft drifting below the glide path, the corrective action was to add power and adjust pitch to climb back up.
Example Sentence 2
Proper corrective action during a false horizon illusion involves trusting the attitude indicator and adjusting pitch accordingly.