Definition
Readings from cockpit instruments that show how much power the engine is producing. In piston aircraft this is typically manifold pressure and/or RPM (tachometer); in turbine aircraft it may be torque, N1, EPR, or similar engine parameters.
Plain English
What the engine gauges are telling you about how hard the engine is working.
Context Anchor
Seen during instrument flying when setting power for level flight, climb, descent, or an airspeed change.
Why Pilots Care
Accurate power indications let the pilot establish and maintain the correct engine output for each phase of flight without outside visual references, directly affecting airspeed, altitude, and fuel management.
Intuition Check
Do not read power indications as the airplane’s final performance. They show what the engine is doing; airspeed, altitude, and vertical speed show what the airplane is doing as a result.
Example Sentence 1
After leveling off at cruise altitude, the pilot cross-checked the power indications and adjusted the throttle to hold 23 inches of manifold pressure.
Example Sentence 2
During the instrument approach, she monitored the power indications to maintain the target descent rate without changing airspeed.