Definition
To apply additional rearward force on the control yoke or stick, deflecting the elevator upward to raise the airplane's nose or arrest a descent. In level flight, small increases in back pressure are used to maintain altitude as airspeed, power, or load conditions change.
Plain English
Pull back a little more on the yoke. The nose will rise, or stop dropping, depending on what the airplane was already doing.
Context Anchor
Used during level flight, climbs, descents, and other pitch-control discussions when the pilot is adjusting the airplane’s nose position.
Derivation
Back pressure' here means pressure applied in the rearward (backward) direction on the controls. The pilot is not pulling hard — they are adding gentle, sustained pressure toward themselves. 'Increase' simply means to add more of it.
Why Pilots Care
Allows precise control of pitch attitude and altitude during level flight, climbs, and turns.
Intuition Check
Do not read “back pressure” as pressure behind the airplane or pressure from the air. Here it means the pilot’s rearward force on the control wheel or stick.
Example Sentence 1
As the airplane slowed in level flight, the instructor told the student to increase the back pressure to hold altitude.
Example Sentence 2
In a level turn, increase the back pressure slightly to hold altitude as the bank steepens.