Definition
A conceptual framework, presented in the Airplane Flying Handbook, that shows how a pilot manages the airplane's total energy state by coordinating pitch and power. It illustrates which control adjusts which energy: power controls the total energy (the sum of altitude and airspeed), and pitch controls how that energy is distributed between altitude (potential energy) and airspeed (kinetic energy).
Plain English
A simple picture of how the throttle and the elevator each affect the airplane's energy. The throttle adds or removes total energy. The elevator decides whether that energy shows up as height or as speed.
Context Anchor
Seen in energy management discussions, especially when learning how to control altitude and airspeed during approaches, climbs, descents, and landing practice.
Derivation
Energy comes from a Greek word meaning activity or work. Map originally meant a representation or picture. In this term, a map is not a navigation chart; it is a picture of the airplane’s usable energy—mainly speed and height.
Why Pilots Care
It prevents the common error of using the wrong control for the needed energy change and helps keep the airplane in a stable, controllable state throughout all phases of flight.
Grounding Statement
Power changes how much energy the airplane has; pitch chooses whether that energy becomes altitude or airspeed.
Intuition Check
An energy-control map is not a map of where the airplane is going. Here, it means a simple picture of the airplane’s speed-and-height condition so the pilot can choose the correct control response.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor used the energy-control map to explain why adding power without adjusting pitch caused the airplane to gain both altitude and airspeed.
Example Sentence 2
During climb-out the instructor asked the student to consult the energy-control map to determine whether to lower the nose or reduce power to correct the excess altitude.