Definition
A reduced power setting and airspeed used during cruise flight, slower than normal cruise but faster than the airplane's slow-flight or maneuvering speeds. At slow cruise speed in level flight, the aircraft requires a higher pitch attitude to produce enough lift, because lift falls as airspeed decreases and must be made up by increasing the angle of attack.
Plain English
A slower-than-normal cruise speed used in level flight. Because the airplane is moving slower, the nose has to sit a little higher than usual to keep the airplane flying level.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying when comparing how pitch attitude changes at different cruise speeds in level flight.
Why Pilots Care
Recognizing that slower airspeeds require a higher pitch attitude in level flight is fundamental to instrument flying. If a pilot expects the same nose-on-the-horizon picture they see at normal cruise, they will misjudge pitch and either climb or descend without realizing it.
Intuition Check
Slow cruise speed does not mean flying as slowly as possible. It means a planned slower-than-normal cruise speed, with the airplane still being flown normally and held level.
Example Sentence 1
At slow cruise speed, the instructor pointed out that the nose sat noticeably higher on the attitude indicator than it did at normal cruise.
Example Sentence 2
At slow cruise speed the pilot held a higher nose attitude and reduced power to maintain altitude on the assigned heading.