Definition
A flight condition in which the airplane maintains a constant heading and a constant altitude at a steady cruise power setting and airspeed, with the wings level and the pitch attitude held to keep altitude unchanged.
Plain English
Flying in a straight line, at the same height, with the wings level and the nose held steady, while the engine is set for normal cruise.
Context Anchor
Seen when using the attitude indicator to recognize or return to the airplane’s normal cruise attitude.
Derivation
“Cruising” comes from older sailing language meaning to travel about or make a voyage. In aviation, it points to the normal en route part of flight, after takeoff and climb, when the airplane is settled into steady forward travel.
Why Pilots Care
This is the standard reference condition for interpreting the attitude indicator and for efficient enroute flight.
Intuition Check
“Level” does not mean the airplane’s nose must point exactly at the horizon. It means the airplane is holding altitude; the nose may sit slightly above or below the horizon line depending on the airplane and speed.
Example Sentence 1
Once established in straight-and-level cruising flight, the student compared the attitude indicator’s miniature airplane position to the natural horizon.
Example Sentence 2
The attitude indicator shows wings level and the horizon bar near the center during straight-and-level cruising flight.