Plain English Meaning

What the airplane can actually do — how far it can fly, how fast, how much runway it needs, how steeply it can climb — given the day's weight, weather, and runway.

Full Definition

In aviation, performance refers to the measurable capabilities of an aircraft under specified conditions, including takeoff and landing distances, climb rate, cruise speed, fuel consumption, range, and service ceiling. Performance values are determined by the manufacturer through flight testing and are published in the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) or Airplane Flight Manual (). Actual performance varies with , (, , ), , , and .