Definition
In a helicopter, the small, continuous control inputs applied to the cyclic stick to keep the aircraft trimmed and on the desired flight path. These pressures tilt the rotor disc to control pitch and roll attitude, and are constantly adjusted to compensate for changing flight conditions.
Plain English
The light, ongoing pushes the pilot makes on the helicopter's main control stick to hold the aircraft steady and pointed where they want it to go.
Context Anchor
Seen in helicopter instrument flying when using trim to reduce the effort needed to hold a steady attitude.
Derivation
Cyclic comes from the Greek 'kyklos' meaning circle or wheel. The cyclic control is named for how it changes rotor blade pitch in a repeating cycle as each blade rotates around the rotor hub, which tilts the rotor disc in the direction the pilot wants to go.
Why Pilots Care
Managing cyclic pressures correctly during trim reduces workload and prevents unwanted attitude changes in instrument conditions.
Intuition Check
Cyclic pressures are not pressure in the air or hydraulic pressure in a gauge. Here, pressures means the physical forces the pilot feels in the cyclic control.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor reminded the student to use light cyclic pressures rather than large stick inputs to maintain level flight on the attitude indicator.
Example Sentence 2
After trimming the helicopter, only light cyclic pressures were needed to hold the desired attitude.