Definition
A control on the pilot's yoke or sidestick used to adjust the airplane's pitch trim, relieving the steady forward or back pressure required to hold a desired pitch attitude. In jet aircraft, it typically commands an electric trim system that repositions the horizontal stabilizer or trim tab so the airplane will hold the selected attitude without continuous control input.
Plain English
A button on the yoke or stick that lets the pilot fine-tune the airplane's nose-up or nose-down balance, so they don't have to keep pushing or pulling on the controls to hold an attitude.
Context Anchor
Found on the pilot’s control wheel or control stick in airplanes with electric pitch trim, especially in jets where small trim changes can noticeably affect control feel.
Derivation
Pitch in aviation means the airplane’s nose-up or nose-down attitude. Trim comes from older sailing use, meaning to balance or set something so it works properly. Together, pitch trim means balancing the airplane in the nose-up or nose-down direction.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces pilot workload and prevents fatigue in high-speed jet operations where small pitch changes produce large aerodynamic effects.
Intuition Check
Pitch does not mean sound here; it means nose-up or nose-down attitude. Trim does not mean decoration; it means adjusting the airplane so it holds that attitude with less hand force.
Example Sentence 1
After leveling off at cruise altitude and letting the airplane accelerate, she tapped the pitch trim button forward until the control forces went to zero.
Example Sentence 2
During the descent the pilot made small inputs with the pitch trim button to hold the target airspeed without constant yoke adjustment.