Plain English Meaning

The part of the flight you are currently in. Flying is broken into stages, and each stage has its own job to do, its own checklist items, and its own things to watch out for.

Full Definition

A distinct, named segment of a flight defined by what the airplane and pilot are doing at that point — for example, taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, approach, and landing. Each phase has its own typical procedures, configurations, workload, and risks.

Context Anchor

Used in flight training and when explaining which actions, procedures, or risks apply during a particular part of a flight.