Plain English Meaning

The set of dials or screens in the cockpit that tell the pilot how the engine is doing -- how fast it's turning, how hot it's running, how much fuel it has, and whether oil pressure is normal.

Full Definition

The cockpit gauges and displays that show the operating condition of the airplane's engine, typically including tachometer (RPM), oil pressure, oil temperature, fuel quantity, fuel pressure or flow, manifold pressure (on engines with a constant-speed propeller), and cylinder head temperature. Pilots check these instruments during start, run-up, takeoff, , and shutdown to confirm the engine is operating within its limits.