Definition
A structured method taught for changing aircraft attitude on instruments, consisting of four sequential actions: Establish, Trim, Cross-check, and Adjust. The pilot first establishes the desired pitch and bank on the attitude indicator, trims off the control pressures, cross-checks the supporting instruments to confirm the attitude is producing the intended performance, and then makes small adjustments as needed.
Plain English
A four-part routine for changing how the airplane is flying when you're on the gauges: set the new attitude, trim out the pressure, check your other instruments to make sure it's working, and tweak as needed.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying when using the flight display to start or correct a climb, descent, turn, or level flight attitude.
Why Pilots Care
Ensures controlled, repeatable attitude changes that maintain altitude, heading, and airspeed while reducing the chance of spatial disorientation in instrument conditions.
Intuition Check
Do not treat “four-step process” as a vague reminder to be careful. In this FAA context, it means a specific sequence: establish, trim, cross-check, adjust.
Example Sentence 1
During the climb to her assigned altitude, she used the four-step process: established the pitch on the attitude indicator, trimmed, cross-checked the airspeed and vertical speed, and made a small pitch adjustment.
Example Sentence 2
Following the four-step process allowed a smooth transition from straight-and-level flight to a standard-rate turn without altitude deviation.