Definition
Information provided to the pilot or autothrottle system that indicates the engine power setting required to fly a given vertical or speed profile. In an LNAV/VNAV context, thrust guidance works alongside pitch guidance to keep the aircraft on the calculated descent or climb path at the target speed.
Plain English
It tells the pilot, or the autothrottles, how much engine power to use to stay on the planned path and speed. Pitch controls where the nose points; thrust controls how hard the engines are working to back that up.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of lateral and vertical navigation equipment, especially when a system is guiding both the airplane’s path and the power needed to fly that path.
Derivation
Thrust is the forward force produced by the engines. Guidance, from the Old French guider (to lead or direct), means information that directs an action. Together: information that directs how much engine push to apply.
Why Pilots Care
Correct thrust keeps the aircraft on the protected vertical path, maintains required speeds, and prevents unstabilized approaches or obstacle conflicts.
Intuition Check
Thrust guidance is not the same as vertical guidance. Vertical guidance points to the up-or-down path; thrust guidance deals with the engine power needed to fly that path.
Example Sentence 1
During the VNAV descent, the crew followed the thrust guidance to keep the aircraft on profile and at the target speed.
Example Sentence 2
During the approach briefing the crew noted where thrust guidance would appear on the flight director to hold the required speed.