Name the four primary flight phases.

• A. Taxi, takeoff, hold, landing.
• B. Preflight, takeoff, cruise (en route), and approach/landing.
• C. Climb, cruise, descent, landing.
• D. Engine start, takeoff, cruise, landing.

Answer: (B)

Understanding flight phases helps you plan and manage a flight from planning to landing. The four primary phases are preflight, takeoff, cruise (en route), and approach/landing.

Preflight covers everything you do before engines start—weather checks, weight and balance, fuel planning, flight plan confirmation, and systems checks. It sets up safety and readiness for the flight.

Takeoff is the transition from the ground to the air and the initial climb, where maintaining proper airspeed, alignment with the runway, and a clean configuration are critical to a safe departure.

Cruise, or the en route phase, is the main portion of the flight where you fly at cruising altitude, manage navigation, monitor systems, and optimize fuel use while communicating as needed with air traffic control.

Approach/landing is the descent and final maneuvering to land, including configuring the aircraft for landing, aligning with the runway, and executing the rollout and exit from the runway.

Other groupings either mix in ground activities like taxi or split climb and descent in ways that don’t reflect the standard sequence of planning, departure, en route, and arrival.