Pilot/Controller Glossary 

12/2/21 

EN ROUTE DESCENT

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 Descent from the en route 

cruising altitude which takes place along the route of 
flight. 

EN ROUTE HIGH ALTITUDE CHARTS

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(See AERONAUTICAL CHART.) 

EN ROUTE LOW ALTITUDE CHARTS

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(See AERONAUTICAL CHART.) 

EN ROUTE MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE WARN­
ING (E

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MSAW)

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 A function of the EAS that aids the 

controller by providing an alert when a tracked 
aircraft is below or predicted by the computer to go 
below a predetermined minimum IFR altitude 
(MIA). 

EN ROUTE TRANSITION

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(See SEGMENTS OF A SID/STAR.) 

EN ROUTE TRANSITION WAYPOINT 

(See SEGMENTS OF A SID/STAR.) 

EST

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(See ESTIMATED.) 

ESTABLISHED

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 To be stable or fixed at an altitude 

or on a course, route, route segment, heading, 
instrument approach or departure procedure, etc. 

ESTABLISHED ON RNP (EoR) CONCEPT– A 
system of au  . .  thorized  instrument  approaches, 
ATC procedures, surveillance, and communication 
requirements that allow aircraft operations to be 
safely conducted with approved reduced separation 
criteria once aircraft are established on a PBN 
segment of a published instrument flight procedure. 

ESTIMATED (EST)

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When used in NOTAMs 

“EST” is a contraction that is used by the issuing 
authority only when the condition is expected to 
return to service prior to the expiration time. Using 
“EST” lets the user know that this NOTAM has the 
possibility of returning to service earlier than the 
expiration time. Any NOTAM which includes an 
“EST” will be auto

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expired at the designated 

expiration time. 

ESTIMATED ELAPSED TIME [ICAO]

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 The 

estimated time required to proceed from one 
significant point to another. 

(See ICAO Term TOTAL ESTIMATED ELAPSED 

TIME.) 

ESTIMATED OFF­BLOCK TIME [ICAO]

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 The 

estimated time at which the aircraft will commence 
movement associated with departure. 

ESTIMATED POSITION ERROR (EPE)

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(See Required Navigation Performance) 

ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL

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 The time the 

flight is estimated to arrive at the gate (scheduled 
operators) or the actual runway on times for 
nonscheduled operators. 

ESTIMATED TIME EN ROUTE

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 The estimated 

flying time from departure point to destination 
(lift­off to touchdown). 

ETA

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(See ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL.) 

ETE

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(See ESTIMATED TIME EN ROUTE.) 

EXECUTE MISSED APPROACH

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  Instructions 

issued to a pilot making an instrument approach 
which means continue inbound to the missed 
approach point and execute the missed approach 
procedure as described on the Instrument Approach 
Procedure Chart or as previously assigned by ATC. 
The pilot may climb immediately to the altitude 
specified in the missed approach procedure upon 
making a missed approach. No turns should be 
initiated prior to reaching the missed approach point. 
When conducting an ASR or PAR approach, execute 
the assigned missed approach procedure immediately 
upon receiving instructions to “execute missed 
approach.” 

(Refer to AIM.) 

EXPECT (ALTITUDE) AT (TIME) or (FIX)

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 Used 

under certain conditions to provide a pilot with an 
altitude to be used in the event of two­way 
communications failure. It also provides altitude 
information to assist the pilot in planning. 

(Refer to AIM.) 

EXPECT DEPARTURE CLEARANCE TIME 
(EDCT)

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 The runway release time assigned to an 

aircraft in a traffic management program and shown 
on the flight progress strip as an EDCT. 

(See GROUND DELAY PROGRAM.) 

EXPECT FURTHER CLEARANCE (TIME)

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 The 

time a pilot can expect to receive clearance beyond a 
clearance limit. 

EXPECT FURTHER CLEARANCE VIA (AIR-
WAYS, ROUTES OR FIXES)

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  Used to inform a 

pilot of the routing he/she can expect if any part of the 
route beyond a short range clearance limit differs 
from that filed. 

PCG E

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