Definition
In aeronautical decision-making, evaluate is the step in which the pilot examines the result of a chosen action to determine whether it produced the desired outcome and whether further action is required. It is the closing step of the DECIDE model (Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, Evaluate) and is repeated continuously as conditions change.
Plain English
After you do something about a problem in flight, check whether it actually fixed the problem. If it did not, decide what to do next.
Context Anchor
Used in the DECIDE model of aeronautical decision-making, especially after a pilot has taken an action and must judge its effect.
Derivation
From the Latin valere, meaning 'to be worth' or 'to have value.' To evaluate is literally to judge the worth of something — here, the worth of the action just taken.
Why Pilots Care
Skipping the evaluate step is a common cause of accidents. A pilot who acts on a problem but never checks whether the action worked may continue flying as if it is solved when it is not. Evaluating closes the loop and keeps the pilot in command of the situation.
Intuition Check
Do not read evaluate as just “think about it.” In this context, it means checking the real result of an action and deciding whether more action is needed.
Example Sentence 1
After leaning the mixture to address the rough engine, the pilot took a moment to evaluate whether engine performance had returned to normal.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot evaluated the climb rate after selecting a new power setting and decided no further adjustment was needed.