Definition
A flight conducted by a flight instructor with another instructor, a check pilot, or designated examiner observing, for the purpose of objectively assessing a student's piloting skill, judgment, or readiness — typically used when a student is suspected of being a seriously abnormal learner or when the instructor wants an independent second opinion before continuing training.
Plain English
A flight where another qualified pilot watches the student fly and gives an honest second opinion on how the student is really doing.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight training when an instructor needs a clearer picture of a learner’s actual performance or behavior in the aircraft.
Derivation
From Latin 'evaluare,' meaning to determine the value of something. Here it carries that exact sense — a flight whose purpose is to determine the true value of the student's current ability, free from the regular instructor's familiarity or bias.
Why Pilots Care
Allows early detection of training gaps that could lead to unsafe flying practices if left unaddressed.
Intuition Check
Do not read evaluation flight as just another normal lesson with a fancy name. The main purpose is assessment: to see what the learner can safely do and what action should come next.
Example Sentence 1
After several lessons with little progress, the instructor arranged an evaluation flight with the chief pilot to get a second opinion on the student's airmanship.
Example Sentence 2
During the evaluation flight, the instructor noted the student's difficulty with crosswind landings and planned remedial training.