Definition
A cockpit control on a turboprop or constant-speed propeller aircraft that adjusts the blade angle (pitch) of the propeller, allowing the pilot to feather the blades or set them to a desired angle for the flight regime. In an engine fire or shutdown, moving the pitch control lever to the feather position turns the propeller blades edge-on to the airflow to stop rotation and reduce drag.
Plain English
The lever in the cockpit that lets the pilot change the angle of the propeller blades, including turning them sideways to the airflow so they stop spinning when an engine is shut down.
Context Anchor
Seen in emergency procedures for propeller-driven airplanes, especially when securing an engine after an in-flight engine fire.
Derivation
"Pitch" here means the angle of the propeller blade relative to its plane of rotation, borrowed from the same idea as the pitch of a screw thread — how far it would advance through a solid in one turn. The lever controls that angle directly.
Why Pilots Care
In an engine fire or failure on a propeller aircraft, moving the pitch control lever to feather is one of the most important actions a pilot can take. Feathering stops the prop from windmilling, cuts drag dramatically, and helps the airplane maintain control and climb performance — especially critical in twin-engine aircraft after losing one engine.
Intuition Check
Do not read pitch here as the airplane’s nose-up or nose-down attitude. Here, pitch means the angle of the propeller blades.
Example Sentence 1
After the fire warning illuminated, the pilot pulled the pitch control lever fully aft to feather the propeller and reduce drag.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot adjusted the pitch control lever to hold 2400 RPM while setting cruise power on the remaining engine.