Definition
An aircraft attitude in which the nose is raised above the horizon relative to the longitudinal axis, achieved by deflecting the elevator (or stabilator) trailing edge upward so that the tail is pushed down and the nose pitches up.
Plain English
The aircraft is pointing upward — the nose is higher than the tail compared to level flight.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of elevator trim tabs, pitch control, takeoff, climb, approach, and landing.
Why Pilots Care
A properly trimmed nose-up position lets the pilot hold climb or cruise attitude without constant forward pressure on the yoke.
Intuition Check
Nose-up does not automatically mean the airplane is climbing. It describes the nose angle or trim tendency; an airplane can still descend while the nose is raised.
Example Sentence 1
After takeoff, the pilot trimmed for a slight nose-up position to maintain a steady climb without holding back-pressure on the yoke.
Example Sentence 2
Once level at cruise altitude the trim was moved out of the nose-up position to remove the back pressure.