Definition
An instruction or technique to scan the flight instruments more rapidly and frequently than usual, used when conditions demand quicker detection of changes -- such as during turbulence, instrument failure, or unusual attitudes.
Plain English
Look at your instruments faster and more often than normal, so you catch any changes right away.
Context Anchor
Used in instrument failure training when one instrument indication does not match the others or does not match what the airplane seems to be doing.
Derivation
Expedite' comes from the Latin 'expedire,' meaning to free or hasten. 'Cross-check' refers to the pilot's continuous scan across the flight instruments. Together: speed up your instrument scan.
Why Pilots Care
Rapid identification of a failed instrument prevents loss of control or spatial disorientation in instrument conditions.
Grounding Statement
The key idea is not to stare at the suspicious instrument, but to compare it quickly with the rest of the instrument panel.
Intuition Check
Do not read expedite cross-check as “rush and look everywhere randomly.” It means compare the instruments promptly and deliberately so you can tell which information is reliable.
Example Sentence 1
When the autopilot disconnected in turbulence, the pilot expedited the cross-check to keep the attitude indicator and altimeter readings under tight control.
Example Sentence 2
In low visibility, the crew decided to expedite the cross-check so they could switch to the backup instruments before the situation worsened.