Definition
A cockpit display system that projects flight guidance information — such as airspeed, altitude, attitude, flight path, and approach cues — onto a transparent combiner glass positioned in the pilot's forward field of view, allowing the pilot to read instrument data while continuing to look outside the aircraft.
Plain English
A see-through display in front of the pilot's eyes that shows flight information against the outside view, so the pilot can fly the aircraft and watch outside at the same time without looking down at the panel.
Context Anchor
Seen in helicopter instrument procedure discussions, especially where a procedure or set of minimums depends on having this equipment installed and working.
Derivation
Called 'head up' because the pilot keeps their head up looking forward through the windshield rather than down at the instrument panel. 'Guidance' refers to the flight cues the system displays to steer the aircraft along the desired path.
Why Pilots Care
It lets a pilot fly precise approaches in poor visibility while still scanning outside for the runway or heliport environment, reducing the dangerous transition between instruments and outside view at the most critical moment of an approach.
Intuition Check
“Head up” does not just mean the pilot should physically hold their head higher. Here it refers to a specific aircraft system that displays guidance information in the pilot’s forward view.
Example Sentence 1
The helicopter's head up guidance system displayed glide slope and airspeed cues directly in the pilot's forward view as he flew the Copter approach to the heliport.
Example Sentence 2
With the head up guidance system active, the crew maintained visual contact with the heliport while monitoring flight parameters.