Definition
The set of pilot skills and procedures used to control an airplane solely by reference to cockpit instruments, without external visual cues such as the horizon or ground. These techniques include instrument cross-check (systematically scanning the instruments), instrument interpretation (understanding what each instrument is showing about the aircraft's state), and aircraft control (applying smooth, precise inputs to achieve the desired pitch, bank, power, and trim).
Plain English
The way a pilot flies the airplane using only the instruments on the panel, instead of looking outside. It involves three skills working together: scanning the instruments, understanding what they are telling you, and using that information to fly the airplane smoothly and accurately.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument training when learning basic flight maneuvers using the instrument panel, especially when outside visual references are reduced or intentionally covered for practice.
Derivation
Instrument comes from a Latin word meaning a tool or device. Technique comes from a Greek word meaning skill or craft. Together, the phrase points to the skilled use of cockpit tools to fly the airplane accurately.
Why Pilots Care
These techniques allow continued safe flight and prevent loss of control or spatial disorientation when visual references disappear.
Grounding Statement
The basic idea is: look at the instruments, understand what the airplane is doing, make a smooth control correction, and check the instruments again.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as a special trick for advanced pilots only. It means the standard, learned way to fly by instruments when looking outside is not enough.
Example Sentence 1
The first few hours of instrument training focus on building solid instrument flying techniques before adding navigation tasks.
Example Sentence 2
When entering clouds, the pilot immediately switched to instrument flying techniques to keep the wings level and the airspeed stable.