Definition
The cockpit instruments that directly indicate engine or thrust output. In a piston aircraft, these are typically the manifold pressure gauge and tachometer; in a turboprop, torque and engine gas indications; in a jet, the engine pressure ratio (EPR) or N1 indicator. Power instruments are one of the three categories used in instrument flying, alongside pitch instruments and bank instruments.
Plain English
The gauges in the cockpit that show how much power the engine is producing right now.
Context Anchor
Seen during instrument flying when a pilot sets, checks, or adjusts power to hold a desired airspeed, climb, descent, or level flight condition.
Why Pilots Care
Accurate reference prevents over- or under-powering the engine while maintaining desired airspeed and altitude.
Intuition Check
Power instruments does not mean instruments that use electrical power. Here it means the engine gauges that show or confirm the aircraft's power setting.
Example Sentence 1
After leveling off at cruise altitude, she set cruise power on the power instruments and trimmed for level flight.
Example Sentence 2
On final approach the power instruments were used to hold a steady descent rate.