Tools Used for Traffic Flow Management

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Ground Delay Program (GDP)

A GDP is a traffic management procedure where aircraft are delayed at their departure airport in order to reconcile demand with capacity at their arrival airport. Flights are assigned expect departure clearance times (EDCTs), which in turn regulate their arrival time at the impacted airport.

Ground Delay Programs will normally be implemented at airports where capacity has been reduced because of low ceilings, thunderstorms, or when demand exceeds capacity for a sustained period.

They are implemented to ensure the arrival demand at an airport is kept at a manageable level, to preclude extensive holding, and to prevent aircraft from having to divert to other airports. They are also used in support of the Severe Weather Avoidance Plan (SWAP).

Ground delay programs affect all flights within the defined "scope" of the program. A program's scope (which flights are captured in a program) can be specified by distance, by tier, or by time. For more information about scope, visit NBAA's Scope of Traffic Management Initiatives (TMIs) web page.

Types of GDPs

Ground delay programs can be run in one of three modes: Delay Assignment (DAS) mode, GAAP mode, and Unified Delay Program (UDP) mode.


While GDPs have been used for a number of years, they have evolved over time. Delay assignment mode GDPs were the original type of GDP, introduced in the late 1990s and served as the model upon which later forms of GDPs were based.

The FAA uses software called Flight Schedule Monitor (FSM) that compiles scheduled flight information and flight plans from the Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC) to calculate and then display graphically the known demand for arrival and/or departures at airports.

When an overage of demand versus capacity is noted, a GDP is modeled through the FSM software. FSM assigns arrival “slots” to aircraft based on the available capacity and flight arrival times, and adds delays in sequential order until demand equals capacity.

As a result of this process, expect departure clearance times (EDCTs) are issued to individual flights to ensure they arrive at their destination airport when they are supposed to.

Up until 2004, all GDPs were all run in DAS mode.


GAAP mode GDPs were introduced in 2004 and were used alongside DAS mode programs until 2011. This type of program added a new aspect to GDPs, designed to handle situations where an increase in demand at an airport was expected, but in unknown numbers. Still used occasionally today, they are typically used for high demand special events, such as the Super Bowl or other sporting events.

The difference with a GAAP mode GDP is that, when the program is modeled in FSM, additional empty slots are built into each hour of the program to allow for late-filing flights, known as "pop-ups" to the FAA, to file into the program without allowing the demand to exceed capacity in any given hour at the airport.

When a late-filing flight enters the program, the system automatically looks for the next available open slot to place that flight into.

GAAP mode GDPs are described in more detail on NBAA's GAAP web page.


In 2011, Unified Delay Program (UDP) mode GDPs were introduced, combining elements of DAS and GAAP mode programs. UDPs were designed to be more efficient and equitable in how delays are assigned when an airspace constraint exists. The UDP mode is now used in the vast majority of instances.

A UDP mode GDP works much like a GAAP, but has some significant differences in the way that they impact certain operators.

Flights that are not considered "known demand" at the time the program is issued are assigned whatever the average delay is for the program, before it even BEGINS to look for the next available slot. In addition, the number of open slots is smaller than with GAAP mode GDPs, and is determined by a historical "reserve factor". The result is that late-filing flights can end up with excessive delays.

Additionally, ANYONE who files a flight plan into a UDP after the program has been issued will receive an expect departure clearance time (EDCT) with an extended delay. In other words, a flight that would have been considered exempt from delay in the UDP, had the operator filed before the program was instituted, would experience a significant delay if the plan is filed after the program starts.

This means that it is critically important for operators to ensure their flight plans are in the system (accepted by FAA's Traffic Management System or TFMS) BEFORE a UDP is issued.

UDP mode GDPs are described in more detail on NBAA's UDP web page.

How Do GDPs Work?

As mentioned above, FAA uses software called Flight Schedule Monitor (FSM) that compiles scheduled flight information and flight plans to determine when an overage of demand versus capacity exists for a specific airport.

The first step is for an Airport Acceptance Rate (AAR) to be set. The AAR is the number of aircraft an airport can accept in a one-hour time frame. The AAR is determined by the Aviation System Airport Performance Metrics, which takes into consideration the runways in use, weather conditions, and NAVAID limitations to determine the AAR.

A GDP is then modeled through the FSM software and arrival “slots” are assigned to aircraft, based on the available capacity and flight arrival times. Delays are then issued in sequential order until demand equals capacity for each hour of the program.

This is best illustrated using screenshots from the FSM software.  In the image below, flights indicated in black have already arrived, those in red are airborne, those in light green are scheduled, and those in dark green are past their scheduled departure time.

As can be seen in this screenshot, spikes in demand can be seen at EWR beginning in the 1600z hour.  In the 1800z hour, for example, EWR is expecting 47 arrivals while the Airport Acceptance Rate (the horizontal white line) is only 32. Something needs to be done to even these spikes out.

Before GDP Implementation

In the image below, a UDP mode GDP has been implemented at EWR beginning in the 1700z hour.  The AAR has been set at 34, increasing to 38 in the 2000z hour. Now that the program has been run, the demand spikes have been leveled out by spreading the demand over the program hours into the future. Those flights in the GDP (indicated in brown) have all been issued EDCTs.

After GDP Implementation


Note the white spaces at the top of the demand bars in the 2000z - 2300z hours. These white areas represent open reserve slots that are built into the program to allow for "pop-up" flights.

Aircraft that are not in the original list of flights when the program is implemented (known by FAA as "pop-up flights") will also receive a delay. In a UDP, their delay will be equal to the average delay (of all other flights arriving in the 15-minute time interval that their flight is requesting to arrive) plus whatever time before the next available open reserve slot. This includes aircraft which depart VFR and obtain their clearance once airborne.

Sources of information regarding GDPs

When a GDP is implemented, the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) details the parameters of the program(s) and issues an advisory which can be found at

Current programs are also displayed on the ATCSCC Operational Informational System (OIS) web page at under the National Programs section. Each line details the program airport, the start and end times of the program, flights included, scope, reason, average delays (AVG), airport acceptance rate (AAR), program rate (PR), and the corresponding advisory number with a hyperlink to the advisory. Learn more about the OIS.

Air traffic personnel monitor the NAS for high demand sectors/airports on a continuous basis. When a concern is raised about the traffic situation at a specific sector/airport, a conference is held among impacted air traffic facilities, the ATCSCC, and the primary system customers at the airport to discuss alternatives and modeled scenarios.

An advisory may be issued when a GDP is being proposed but not yet implemented. If the decision is made to implement a GDP, then EDCTs will be sent to CDM members, airlines, and NAS computers. An advisory will also be issued that states a GDP has been implemented. Learn more about Advisories.

Managing EDCTs

In order to obtain EDCT information, users may access the FAA's EDCT Lookup Tool at and provide their Call Sign, Origin, Destination and Aircraft Type exactly as entered on their filed flight plan. Another option is to contact the tower at the departure airport. In addition, all major airlines, and some large business aviation companies, have a connection to the FSM software and receive their EDCTs electronically.

Aircraft must depart within +/- 5 minutes of their EDCT to be in compliance with the GDP. Each aircraft operator needs to plan to taxi in a manner consistent with meeting the EDCT. If an aircraft is late, air traffic controllers are required to call the ATCSCC to get a new EDCT. This could mean additional delay for the aircraft and missed slot opportunities for other aircraft. If a pilot does not think he can make an assigned time or if he needs to request an earlier or later time, then he should contact clearance delivery or the tower at the departure airport.

All aircraft filed to a GDP airport, that are known to the FSM software, are assigned an Expect Departure Clearance Time (EDCT), but it should be noted that not all aircraft will receive a delay.

Aircraft requesting priority handling are assigned an EDCT, but ATC will strive to provide priority service to civilian air ambulance flights if requested by the operator. Customers that have diverted because of an earlier GDP will receive priority handling over all other aircraft to the extent possible.

It is important to note that EDCTs can change, based on changing conditions at the GDP airport such as changing weather conditions or changes in the airport acceptance rate. In addition, Adaptive Compression can cause an EDCT to be moved earlier. Operators are encouraged to remain aware of what is happening in the NAS and to check their EDCT times regularly by either using the FAA's EDCT Lookup Tool, or by staying in touch with ground control or clearance delivery.

One final note: it is possible to get an EDCT which is outside the parameters for the GDP that are posted on the Operational Information System (OIS). The reason for this is that GDPs are based on original scheduled arrival times. Therefore, the estimated time enroute (ETE) is considered in determining the appropriate departure time. The EDCT may be assigned after the times listed in the GDP. In some cases the EDCT is after the program time because excess demand will flow over into subsequent hours, but must still be managed to ensure the balance between capacity and demand. If a flight was estimated to arrive near the end of the GDP, it may be assigned an EDCT that puts the arrival time after the GDP has ended.