Plain English Meaning

When a pilot gets too relaxed or too sure of themselves in the cockpit and stops paying full attention to what the aircraft, instruments, and conditions are doing.

Full Definition

A hazardous mental state in which a pilot becomes overly comfortable or self-assured during flight operations, leading to reduced vigilance, relaxed scanning of instruments and the environment, and diminished attention to checklists, procedures, and changing conditions. It is most common on routine flights, in familiar aircraft, or when automation is handling the workload.

Context Anchor

Seen in flight training, safety briefings, checklist use, and discussions of accidents caused by missed warnings or skipped checks.