Definition
A cockpit display that presents flight information on one or more electronic screens rather than on individual mechanical gauges. It typically shows attitude, airspeed, altitude, heading, vertical speed, and navigation data drawn from digital sensors and processed by an onboard computer.
Plain English
A screen in the cockpit that shows the main flight information together in one place, instead of using separate round dials.
Context Anchor
Seen in glass-cockpit aircraft and in instrument flying discussions about how flight information is shown to the pilot.
Derivation
Electronic refers to the use of digital circuitry and screens. Flight instrument keeps the older term for cockpit gauges that show how the aircraft is flying. Display indicates that the information is shown on a screen rather than read from a mechanical pointer. Together it names the modern screen-based replacement for the traditional panel of round instruments.
Why Pilots Care
Integrates multiple data sources into one view, reducing pilot workload and improving situational awareness during instrument flight.
Grounding Statement
When you look at a glass cockpit screen and see the airplane’s flight information in one place, you are looking at an electronic flight instrument display.
Intuition Check
Do not read “display” here as just any screen in the airplane. An electronic flight instrument display is a screen used to show flight-instrument information the pilot uses to control or monitor the flight.
Example Sentence 1
During the preflight check, the pilot confirmed the electronic flight instrument display had powered up and was showing valid attitude and airspeed information.
Example Sentence 2
During the instrument scan, the electronic flight instrument display provided continuous attitude and altitude updates.