Definition
Tables or graphs published in the Pilot's Operating Handbook that show an aircraft's expected true airspeed, fuel flow, and power setting at various combinations of altitude, temperature, weight, and engine power during the cruise phase of flight.
Plain English
A set of charts in the aircraft's manual that tell the pilot, for a given altitude and power setting, how fast the aircraft will fly and how much fuel it will burn per hour while cruising.
Context Anchor
Seen in the aircraft’s operating handbook during fuel planning, cross-country planning, and cruise power selection.
Derivation
Cruise originally meant to sail about or travel steadily, especially by ship. In aviation, it points to the steady en route part of flight after climb and before descent; the charts show how the airplane is expected to perform during that part.
Why Pilots Care
They allow selection of power settings that achieve the desired balance of speed, range, and fuel reserves.
Intuition Check
Do not read “performance” here as a general idea of how good the airplane is. In this context, it means specific numbers the pilot can use for planning, such as speed and fuel used per hour.
Example Sentence 1
Before the cross-country flight, she opened the cruise performance charts and found that 7,500 feet at 65% power would give her 122 knots true airspeed and a fuel flow of 8.2 gallons per hour.
Example Sentence 2
Using the cruise performance charts, she determined the airplane would cover the remaining distance with 12 gallons remaining.