What is the term for staring at a single instrument, thereby interrupting the cross-check process?

The correct term for the action of staring at a single instrument while flying, which disrupts the necessary cross-check of multiple instruments, is fixating. Fixation occurs when a pilot's attention is drawn to one specific instrument to the exclusion of others, leading to a potential oversight of critical information provided by the rest of the instrument panel.

This behavior can impede situational awareness and lead to flight errors because a pilot needs to maintain a holistic understanding of the aircraft's performance and the surrounding environment. Effective instrument flying requires continuous monitoring and comparison of multiple instruments in order to make informed decisions. When a pilot fixates, they risk missing vital cues that can indicate changes in the aircraft's flight path or performance, ultimately compromising safety.

Other options such as focusing, concentrating, and stabilizing do not encapsulate the detrimental effect associated with this narrowed attention and the resulting failure to perform a proper cross-check, making them less applicable in this context. Fixation specifically underscores the importance of distributing attention across all necessary instruments for safe flying.