Which term defines the total flight time from block-in to block-out?

• A. Gate to gate
• B. Engine start to stop
• C. Takeoff to touchdown
• D. Block in to block out

Answer: (D)

The timing metric being tested is how we define a flight’s overall duration by the aircraft’s operational cycle. The term that captures the entire period from when the aircraft is considered at the arrival point (block-in) to when it is ready to depart again after turnaround (block-out) is block in to block out. This encompasses the ground handling, boarding, pushback, taxi to the runway, takeoff, the flight itself, landing, and the subsequent taxi to the gate in preparation for the next leg. Other options either exclude the ground phases (takeoff to touchdown), focus only on engine activity (engine start to stop), or describe a gate-to-gate measure that isn’t the standard flight-cycle timing used here.