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Glite Dictionary
instrument flying

instrument flying

6.7
To fly a plane using only instruments without seeing the ground or horizon
  • noun
  • /ˈɪnstrəmənt ˈflaɪɪŋ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vuelo por instrumentos
  • They offered a course on instrument flying to help pilots improve their skills in navigating without visual cues.

Examples

  • Well, when we're talking about instrument flying, there is a also a very strong connection here to MIT.

  • During her training, she excelled at instrument flying, navigating solely by the cockpit instruments without looking outside.

  • Many pilots must master instrument flying to safely operate an aircraft in poor weather conditions.

Synonyms

blind flying
vsinstrument flying
  • Archaic
7.4

Using only instruments to fly a plane when you cannot see outside

has the same meaning but focuses on aircraft navigation and control broadly

Antonyms

to fly contact
  • Specialized
9.6

To pilot an airplane by looking at places on the ground rather than instruments

How Guided

ground-controlled approach
  • Specialized
7.5
approach path
  • Specialized
1 5.5
instrument flying
  • Specialized
6.7
deadstick landing
  • Specialized
9.2

Surface Forms

instrument flying singular
instrument flyings plural

Morphology

instrument + flying

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'instrument' (a technical device) with 'flying' — it literally denotes flying by means of instruments. Although it's a technical aviation term, the compositional structure makes the sense clear to learners who know both constituents.

Etymology

Instrument flying comes from early pilots who flew in clouds and could not see outside, so they had to watch the instruments while flying. That's why it means 'controlling a plane using only flight instruments, without seeing the ground or horizon'.