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published speed until additional adjustment is required to comply with further published or ATC assigned speed restrictions 
or as required to ensure compliance with 14 CFR Section 91.117. 

3. 

The “descend via” is used in conjunction with STARs to reduce phraseology by not requiring the controller to restate the 

altitude at the next waypoint/fix to which the pilot has been cleared. 

4. 

Air traffic will assign an altitude to cross the waypoint/ fix, if no altitude is depicted at the waypoint/fix, for aircraft on 

a direct routing to a STAR. Air traffic must ensure obstacle clearance when issuing a “descend via” instruction to the pilot. 

5. 

Minimum en route altitudes (MEA) are not considered restrictions; however, pilots must remain above all MEAs, unless 

receiving an ATC instruction to descend below the MEA. 

EXAMPLE

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1. 

Lateral/routing clearance only. 

“Cleared Tyler One arrival.” 

NOTE

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In Example 1, pilots are cleared to fly the lateral path of the procedure. Compliance with any published speed restrictions 

is required. No descent is authorized. 

2. 

Routing with assigned altitude. 

“Cleared Tyler One arrival, descend and maintain flight level two four zero.” 
“Cleared Tyler One arrival, descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain flight level two four zero.” 

NOTE

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In Example 2, the first clearance requires the pilot to descend to FL 240 as directed, comply with any published speed 

restrictions, and maintain FL 240 until cleared for further vertical navigation with a newly assigned altitude or a“descend 

via” clearance. 

The second clearance authorizes the pilot to descend to FL 240 at his discretion, to comply with any published speed 

restrictions, and then maintain FL 240 until issued further instructions. 

3. 

Lateral/routing and vertical navigation clearance. 

“Descend via the Eagul Five arrival.” 
“Descend via the Eagul Five arrival, except, cross Vnnom at or above one two thousand.” 

NOTE

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In Example 3, the first clearance authorized the aircraft to descend at pilot’s discretion on the Eagul Five arrival; the pilot 

must descend so as to comply with all published altitude and speed restrictions. 

The second clearance authorizes the same, but requires the pilot to descend so as to cross at Vnnom at or above 12,000. 

4. 

Lateral/routing and vertical navigation clearance when assigning altitude not published on procedure. 

“Descend via the Eagul Five arrival, except after Geeno, maintain one zero thousand.” 
“Descend via the Eagul Five arrival, except cross Geeno at one one thousand then maintain seven thousand.” 

NOTE

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I

n Example 4, the first clearance authorized the aircraft to track laterally on the Eagul Five Arrival and to descend at pilot’s 

discretion so as to comply with all altitude and speed restrictions until reaching Geeno and then maintain 10,000. Upon 

reaching 10,000, aircraft should maintain 10,000 until cleared by ATC to continue to descend. 

The second clearance requires the same, except the aircraft must cross Geeno at 11,000 and is then authorized to continue 

descent to and maintain 7,000. 

5. 

Direct routing to intercept a STAR and vertical navigation clearance. 

“Proceed direct Leoni, descend via the Leoni One arrival.” 
“Proceed direct Denis, cross Denis at or above flight level two zero zero, then descend via the Mmell One arrival.” 

NOTE

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In Example 5, in the first clearance an altitude is published at Leoni; the aircraft proceeds to Leoni, crosses Leoni at the 

published altitude and then descends via the arrival. If a speed restriction is published at Leoni, the aircraft will slow to 

comply with the published speed. 

In the second clearance, there is no altitude published at Denis; the aircraft must cross Denis at or above FL200, and then 

descends via the arrival. 

Arrival Procedures

5

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4

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2