Definition
Structured flight instruction in which the pilot controls the aircraft solely by reference to cockpit instruments rather than outside visual cues, learning to fly accurately in conditions where the natural horizon is unavailable or unreliable.
Plain English
Learning to fly the aircraft by reading the instruments alone, without looking outside.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying discussions and in maneuver training, such as practicing steep turns while using the panel to hold altitude, bank, and heading.
Derivation
Instrument comes from a Latin word meaning a tool or piece of equipment. In aviation, the instruments are the tools on the panel that show what the aircraft is doing, so instrument flight training means learning to fly by those tools instead of mainly by outside sight.
Why Pilots Care
It allows safe flight through clouds, at night, or in poor visibility and is required for an instrument rating and most professional flying jobs.
Intuition Check
Do not read instrument flight training as simply learning the names of cockpit instruments. It means learning to fly the aircraft by using those instruments as the main reference.
Example Sentence 1
During instrument flight training, the student wore a view-limiting device so she could only see the panel and not the sky outside.
Example Sentence 2
Instrument flight training includes recovering from unusual attitudes using only the attitude indicator and turn coordinator.