Definition
The specific altitude a pilot intends to reach or maintain during a maneuver or phase of flight. In the context of gliding turns and other training maneuvers, it is the altitude the pilot has chosen as the goal for rollout, level-off, or completion of the maneuver.
Plain English
The altitude you are aiming for. It is the number on the altimeter you want to be at when you finish what you are doing.
Context Anchor
Seen during maneuver practice, such as gliding turns, when a pilot or instructor chooses a height to finish, recover, or check the maneuver against.
Derivation
‘Target’ comes from the Old French ‘targette,’ meaning a small shield used as something to aim at. In flying, the ‘target’ is the altitude you are aiming for — the number you want to hit.
Why Pilots Care
Properly identifying and achieving the target altitude prevents excessive altitude loss and ensures the maneuver stays within safe parameters.
Intuition Check
Do not read target altitude as a rough wish or guess. In this context, it means a specific height the pilot is actively aiming for and monitoring.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor said to begin the gliding turn at 3,000 feet and roll out wings-level at the target altitude of 2,500 feet.
Example Sentence 2
Maintaining the correct target altitude throughout the maneuver helped preserve the required airspeed.