Definition
The specific aircraft performance the pilot intends to achieve at a given moment in flight, expressed as target values on the flight instruments — for example, a particular altitude, airspeed, heading, vertical speed, or pitch and bank attitude. It is the standard against which actual performance is compared so that corrections can be made.
Plain English
What you want the airplane to be doing right now, stated as numbers you can read on the instruments. If you want to be level at 5,000 feet, holding 110 knots, on a heading of 270, that set of numbers is your desired performance.
Context Anchor
Used in the control-and-performance method of instrument flying, where the pilot sets the aircraft controls and checks the instruments to see whether the aircraft is doing what was intended.
Derivation
Desired comes from the idea of something wanted or intended. Performance means how something actually works or produces a result. In this aviation use, the phrase points to the intended flight result, not just the aircraft’s general capability.
Why Pilots Care
It guides the pilot in selecting control inputs and in verifying that the aircraft is actually doing what was intended.
Grounding Statement
Before adjusting the controls, the pilot should know the flight result they are trying to make the aircraft produce.
Intuition Check
Desired performance does not mean the aircraft’s best possible performance here. It means the specific flight result the pilot wants at that moment.
Example Sentence 1
After leveling off, the pilot set desired performance as 5,500 feet, 110 knots, and a heading of 090.
Example Sentence 2
After leveling off, the pilot cross-checked to confirm the aircraft was maintaining the desired performance of 120 knots and 6000 feet.