Definition
The combination of power, pitch attitude, and trim that holds the aircraft in steady, unaccelerated flight at a chosen cruise altitude and airspeed. It is the configuration the pilot establishes after leveling off from a climb or descent, with power reduced (or increased) from the climb or descent setting to a value that maintains the target cruise airspeed at constant altitude.
Plain English
The throttle, pitch, and trim setting you use to fly straight and level at your normal cruising speed, without climbing or descending.
Context Anchor
Used when leveling off from a climb or descent during instrument flying, after the airplane transitions back to straight-and-level cruise.
Derivation
“Level” comes from the idea of being even or horizontal. “Cruise” originally meant to travel over a distance. Together, the phrase points to the normal power used when the airplane is traveling along without changing altitude.
Why Pilots Care
Using the correct setting prevents altitude overshoot, airspeed instability, and the need for repeated corrections after leveling off.
Intuition Check
Do not read “level” as meaning “easy” or “unchanging in every way.” Here it means the airplane is holding altitude. The cruise setting is still a selected engine power, not a guarantee that speed and altitude will stay correct without pilot attention.
Example Sentence 1
After leveling off at 6,000 feet, the pilot reduced power to the level flight cruise setting and trimmed for hands-off flight.
Example Sentence 2
The instructor emphasized that an early reduction to the level flight cruise setting avoids the common tendency to climb above the assigned altitude.