Definition
The loss, partial or complete, of previously learned knowledge or skills, caused by factors such as disuse, interference from new learning, repression of unpleasant material, or weak initial encoding of the information.
Plain English
When something a learner once knew or could do slips away over time and can no longer be recalled or performed reliably.
Context Anchor
Seen in instructor training when discussing how students retain lessons, review previous material, and maintain flying skills between practice sessions.
Derivation
From Old English 'forgietan' — 'for-' meaning 'away, amiss' and 'gietan' meaning 'to grasp.' The literal sense is 'to lose one's grasp on something,' which fits well: the knowledge was once held, and is now slipping away.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots forget procedures, regulations, and motor skills if they aren't practiced or reviewed. Instructors who understand how forgetting works can design training that locks knowledge in — through repetition, meaningful context, and regular use — rather than letting it fade between lessons or flights.
Intuition Check
Forgetting does not always mean the student was careless or never learned the material. In this context, it means a previously learned fact or skill has become weak, hard to recall, or unavailable when needed.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor scheduled a short review of emergency procedures at the start of each lesson to counter forgetting between flights.
Example Sentence 2
During the stage check the instructor noticed the applicant was forgetting key radio calls and traced it to an uncleared word earlier in the chapter.