Definition
A structured approach to allocating attention and effort in the cockpit by ranking competing tasks in order of importance, traditionally summarized as Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. The pilot first ensures the aircraft is under positive control, then confirms it is going where intended, and only then attends to communication and secondary tasks.
Plain English
Doing the most important things first when several things demand attention at once. Fly the airplane before anything else, then make sure you are heading the right way, then talk on the radio and handle other tasks.
Context Anchor
Used in aviation instruction, scenario training, and cockpit decision-making when several things are competing for the pilot’s attention at the same time.
Derivation
Priority comes from a Latin word meaning “earlier” or “first.” That helps here because a priority is the task that must come first, not just a task that is useful or interesting.
Why Pilots Care
Following the correct order prevents fixation on minor tasks and keeps the aircraft flying safely during high-workload phases.
Grounding Statement
When workload rises, the safest pilot does the most safety-critical task first and lets lower-priority tasks wait.
Intuition Check
Do not read “priorities” as a fixed to-do list. Here it means a safety-based order that can change as the flight situation changes.
Example Sentence 1
When the engine started running rough on climb-out, the pilot applied the priorities of task management — flying the aircraft and turning toward the airport before answering the controller's query.
Example Sentence 2
During the missed approach the pilot used priorities of task management to climb first and only then brief the next procedure.