Plain English Meaning

Knowing what is going on around you, why it matters, and what is likely to happen next. It is the pilot's running mental picture of the flight: where the aircraft is, what it is doing, what the weather and traffic are doing, how the pilot is feeling, and what is coming up next.

Full Definition

The accurate perception and understanding of all the factors and conditions affecting a flight — including the aircraft, the environment, the crew, and the mission — at any given moment, together with an informed projection of how those factors will change in the near future.

Context Anchor

Seen in single-pilot resource management, aeronautical decision-making, cockpit workload, traffic , weather decisions, and discussions.