Definition
A control technique in which the pilot uses elevator (pitch) to set and hold a target airspeed, and uses throttle (power) to set and hold a target altitude or vertical path. It is one of two complementary methods of managing the airplane's energy state, typically applied during slow flight, approach, and landing where precise airspeed control is critical.
Plain English
Move the nose up or down to control how fast you are going, and add or reduce engine power to control whether you climb, descend, or stay level.
Context Anchor
Seen in basic aircraft control, slow flight, approaches, and energy management discussions in the Airplane Flying Handbook.
Derivation
Pitch comes from older seafaring use, where it described a vessel’s nose moving up and down. In aviation, it means the airplane’s nose-up or nose-down attitude. Power means the engine’s ability to do work, and altitude means height above a reference point. Together, the phrase ties nose position to speed control and engine output to height control.
Why Pilots Care
Correct use prevents unstable approaches, stalls, and hard landings by matching the right control to each energy variable.
Grounding Statement
If the airplane is fast, adjust the nose; if it is sinking below the desired path, adjust power, then fine-tune both together.
Intuition Check
Do not take this to mean pitch affects only airspeed or power affects only altitude. Both controls affect both results; the phrase tells you which control to use first for the correction.
Example Sentence 1
On final approach, the instructor reminded the student to use pitch for airspeed and power for altitude, holding 65 knots with the nose attitude and adjusting the throttle to stay on glidepath.
Example Sentence 2
When high on the approach the pilot reduced power to descend while keeping pitch attitude steady to hold airspeed.