Definition
The pilot skill of identifying, prioritizing, and sequencing flight-related tasks so that the most important ones are completed on time and the pilot is not overloaded. It includes recognizing when workload is becoming excessive, shedding or delaying lower-priority tasks, and using available resources, automation, and planning to keep workload within manageable limits.
Plain English
Knowing what needs to be done, deciding what comes first, and not letting too many things pile up at once. It is the skill of staying ahead of the airplane instead of falling behind it.
Context Anchor
Seen in transition training, especially when a pilot is learning an aircraft that is faster, more complex, or less familiar than the one they normally fly.
Why Pilots Care
Poor management leads to overload, delayed responses, and loss of situational awareness, especially during high-workload phases such as instrument approaches or system malfunctions.
Grounding Statement
In flight, the main point is to keep the airplane safely under control while choosing the next most important task.
Intuition Check
Task and workload management does not mean doing everything faster. It means doing the right thing first, delaying lower-priority work when needed, and keeping the workload at a level you can safely handle.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor briefed task and workload management before the flight, reminding the student to aviate first, then navigate, then communicate.
Example Sentence 2
During the engine failure drill the instructor noted better task and workload management when the pilot flew the airplane first before reaching for the checklist.