Definition
The collection of flight displays shown on the Primary Flight Display (PFD), including the attitude indicator, airspeed tape, altimeter, vertical speed indicator, heading indicator, and slip/skid indication, all presented electronically on a single screen in place of traditional mechanical instruments.
Plain English
The set of flight information shown on the main glass-cockpit screen in front of the pilot — attitude, airspeed, altitude, heading, climb or descent rate — all displayed together on one screen.
Context Anchor
Seen in glass-cockpit malfunction and electrical-power discussions, especially when deciding what flight information remains available while operating on the main battery.
Derivation
Primary Flight Display means exactly that — the main screen the pilot uses for flight information. Instrumentation refers to the set of instruments shown on it. The term groups what used to be six separate mechanical gauges into one electronic display.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must know which flight data remains available and how display behavior changes to maintain control during power loss.
Intuition Check
Do not read “instrumentation” here as extra equipment in general. In this context, it means the flight indications shown to the pilot on the Primary Flight Display.
Example Sentence 1
When the alternator failed and the aircraft began running on the main battery alone, the pilot reduced electrical load to preserve the PFD instrumentation for as long as possible.
Example Sentence 2
PFD instrumentation may automatically reduce brightness to extend battery life during an electrical malfunction.