Definition
A pilot control action — typically forward pressure on the elevator control (yoke or stick) — that lowers the airplane's nose by reducing the angle of attack. In stall recovery, prompt nose-down input is the primary action used to break the stall and restore smooth airflow over the wings.
Plain English
Pushing the control wheel or stick forward to bring the nose down. This reduces how steeply the wings are meeting the air, which is what allows the wings to start flying again after a stall.
Context Anchor
Encountered during stall recognition and stall recovery, when the first priority is to reduce the wing’s angle to the airflow.
Why Pilots Care
It is the primary action that breaks a stall by lowering the wing's angle of attack and restoring airflow.
Grounding Statement
During stall recovery, the airplane needs the nose lowered enough for smooth airflow to return over the wing.
Intuition Check
Do not read nose-down input as “point the airplane steeply at the ground.” Here it means a controlled forward input that lowers the nose enough to reduce the wing’s angle to the airflow.
Example Sentence 1
At the first sign of the stall warning, the pilot applied nose-down input and added power to recover.
Example Sentence 2
In a power-on stall recovery, smooth nose-down input is combined with full power to regain flying speed.