Correct. The instrument used to confirm that pitch attitude is correct in S&L flight is the altimeter. The scan goes
LOOKOUT - for other traffic
ATTITUDE - having checked for other traffic, look at the picture formed by the outside horizon and whatever reference you have available; windscreen centre strut, canopy arch etc. Make sure that it's the picture you need.
INSTRUMENTS - check that the altimeter isn't moving, showing that you're in level flight, the ball is centered, showing that the aircraft is in balanced flight - and if you can't see anything outside to indicate that you're in straight flight, check that the DI isn't moving. If any of these instrument indications aren't what you want, then it's back to another LOOKOUT, then readjust the ATTITUDE and re-check the INSTRUMENTS...... This L-A-I sequence is the key to maintaining the attitude for any desired steady state of flight - climbing, descending, turning. The only difference being that other instruments are referred to in these other stages of flight - but the attitude indicator or artificial horizon is ONLY used in visual flight to confirm that the visual assessment is correct. So, if you wanted a 30 deg banked turn, during the L-A-I sequence of maintaining the turn, you should only look briefly at the AI/AH to confirm that you've selected 30 deg, not 20 or 40!!
[ 20 October 2001: Message edited by: BEagle ]