flow
n.— «In the cockpit, each pilot has a certain routine, or “flow” in cockpit parlance. Because there are so many items to be checked during the cockpit preflight, pilots learn to check the cockpit in patterns to make sure they don’t miss anything. For instance, the captain’s flow might start with the battery switch and from there follow a circular or other pattern until every switch is checked to be in the proper position» —“Preflight preparations for pilots” by Meryl Getline USA Today Jan. 2, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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