Definition
A technique of attitude instrument flying in which the pilot establishes an aircraft attitude or power setting on the control instruments (attitude indicator and power indicator) that should produce a desired result, then verifies the outcome by cross-checking the performance instruments (airspeed indicator, altimeter, vertical speed indicator, heading indicator, turn coordinator) and adjusts as needed.
Plain English
Set the pitch, bank, and power you think will give you the flight path you want, then look at the other instruments to see if it actually worked, and make small corrections until it does.
Context Anchor
Used in attitude instrument flying, especially when setting up straight-and-level flight, climbs, descents, and turns using the flight instruments.
Derivation
The name describes the two instrument groups it relies on: 'control' instruments (which show what the aircraft is doing right now in terms of attitude and power) and 'performance' instruments (which show the result of those control inputs in terms of altitude, speed, and direction).
Why Pilots Care
Gives pilots a repeatable, low-workload way to maintain precise control in instrument conditions without reacting to every instrument deviation.
Intuition Check
Do not read “performance” here as only engine performance. In this method, performance means what the airplane is actually doing: holding altitude, heading, airspeed, or a climb or descent rate.
Example Sentence 1
Using the control and performance method, the pilot set 5 degrees nose-up and climb power, then scanned the altimeter and airspeed indicator to confirm a steady 500-foot-per-minute climb at 90 knots.
Example Sentence 2
During an instrument approach the student applied the control and performance method to establish the correct descent rate without chasing the altimeter.