Definition
The readings shown on the cockpit flight instruments — such as the airspeed indicator, attitude indicator, altimeter, heading indicator, vertical speed indicator, and turn coordinator — that report the aircraft's current performance and orientation in flight.
Plain English
What the cockpit gauges are showing the pilot at any given moment about how the aircraft is flying.
Context Anchor
Used during flight instruction when the student compares what they see outside the airplane with what the instruments show inside the cockpit.
Derivation
Indication comes from a Latin word meaning “to point out” or “to show.” In this phrase, the instruments are “pointing out” information about the airplane’s flight condition.
Why Pilots Care
Correct interpretation of these indications is essential for maintaining aircraft control and situational awareness whenever visual references are unavailable or unreliable.
Intuition Check
Do not read “indications” as guaranteed truth. Here it means what the instruments are showing; the pilot still has to make sure the readings make sense together and match the airplane’s behavior.
Example Sentence 1
During the climb, the student cross-checked the flight instrument indications to confirm the airspeed, pitch attitude, and rate of climb were all consistent with the planned profile.
Example Sentence 2
When the flight instrument indications showed a descent, the student applied back pressure to return to level flight.