Pilot note ยท FAA Pilot/Controller Glossary
Ground Stop, Ground Delay Program or EDCT? A Pilot Explains
Matt, a DelayGuard pilot
Three FAA terms get mixed together at the gate: ground stop, ground delay program and EDCT. The definitions below are the Pilot/Controller Glossary. The notes are how I read those sentences for a passenger.
Updated 2026-10-18
GS
Ground stop
The GS is a process that requires aircraft that meet a specific criteria to remain on the ground. The criteria may be airport specific, airspace specific, or equipment specific; for example, all departures to San Francisco, or all departures entering Yorktown sector, or all Category I and II aircraft going to Charlotte. GSs normally occur with little or no warning.
FAA glossary entry
A ground stop is specific. It can cover an airport, a piece of airspace, or a kind of aircraft. If your flight meets that criteria, it stays on the ground.
GDP
Ground delay program
A traffic management process administered by the ATCSCC, when aircraft are held on the ground. The purpose of the program is to support the TM mission and limit airborne holding. It is a flexible program and may be implemented in various forms depending upon the needs of the AT system. Ground delay programs provide for equitable assignment of delays to all system users.
FAA glossary entry
A ground delay program is run by the ATCSCC. The hold is on the ground so aircraft do less holding in the air, and the delay is assigned across system users.
EDCT
Expect departure clearance time
The runway release time assigned to an aircraft in a traffic management program and shown on the flight progress strip as an EDCT.
FAA glossary entry
The EDCT is a time on the flight progress strip: when that aircraft is released for the runway. The glossary entry points to the ground delay program.
How I read the strip
A ground stop is the blunt tool. Aircraft that meet the criteria stay on the ground, and the glossary says these normally occur with little or no warning.
A ground delay program is the assigned version. The ATCSCC holds aircraft on the ground to limit airborne holding, and it assigns that delay equitably.
The EDCT is the runway release time I see on the strip. The glossary says the assigned arrival time in a traffic management program (the controlled time of arrival) may be modified due to adjustments or user options. It does not say by how much.
What that means while you wait
If your flight meets a ground stop's criteria, the aircraft remains on the ground. The glossary does not say whether you board and wait on the airplane or wait in the terminal. Both are a wait. The airplane does not depart while the stop applies to it.
Under a ground delay program, aircraft are held on the ground to limit airborne holding. The glossary says the program provides for equitable assignment of delays to all system users.
Your departure time can change while a program runs. The glossary says the assigned arrival time may be modified due to adjustments or user options. Passengers see that as a new gate time. The glossary gives no duration for a ground stop.
Check your own flight
Run your flight through the DelayGuard predictor. This page explains the FAA terms. It does not say whether a program applies to your flight.
Check your own flight
Read the FAA wording
The quotes above are from the Pilot/Controller Glossary. For whether a program applies to a flight, use the FAA status pages. This guide does not report program status.
Questions
What is a ground stop?
The FAA Pilot/Controller Glossary defines a ground stop (GS) as a process that requires aircraft that meet a specific criteria to remain on the ground. The criteria may be airport specific, airspace specific, or equipment specific. The glossary's examples are all departures to San Francisco, all departures entering Yorktown sector, or all Category I and II aircraft going to Charlotte. Ground stops normally occur with little or no warning.
What is a ground delay program?
The glossary defines a ground delay program (GDP) as a traffic management process administered by the ATCSCC, when aircraft are held on the ground. The purpose is to support the TM mission and limit airborne holding. It is a flexible program and may be implemented in various forms depending upon the needs of the AT system. Ground delay programs provide for equitable assignment of delays to all system users.
What is an EDCT?
EDCT means expect departure clearance time. The glossary defines it as the runway release time assigned to an aircraft in a traffic management program and shown on the flight progress strip as an EDCT. The entry points to the ground delay program definition.
Ground stop vs ground delay program: what's the difference?
A ground stop requires aircraft that meet a specific criteria to remain on the ground, and ground stops normally occur with little or no warning. A ground delay program is administered by the ATCSCC. It holds aircraft on the ground to limit airborne holding, and it provides for equitable assignment of delays to all system users. The glossary does not describe a ground stop as that kind of assigned program.
How long does a ground stop last?
The FAA glossary does not give a duration for a ground stop. It says ground stops normally occur with little or no warning.
What is a controlled time of arrival?
A controlled time of arrival is an arrival time assigned during a Traffic Management Program. This time may be modified due to adjustments or user options.