Which term describes the adjustment made to a gyroscopic instrument that prevents it from becoming uncaged?

The term that describes the adjustment made to a gyroscopic instrument to prevent it from becoming uncaged is encaging. In gyroscopic instruments, especially those used in aircraft, encaging refers to the process of securely positioning the gyro within its gimbal system. This helps maintain its orientation and prevents it from spinning freely when not in use or when transitioning between different levels of flight.

Properly encaging the gyro ensures that it retains its reference points during operation, which is critical for accuracy in navigation and attitude indication. If the gyro is uncaged, it can lead to erroneous readings, as the instrument may not provide dependable information about the aircraft's attitude or orientation. Therefore, encaging is a fundamental procedure for maintaining instrument reliability and is essential for safe flying.