Pilot/Controller Glossary

AIRSPACE FLOW PROGRAM (AFP)

This reproduces published FAA reference text for study. It does not replace the current official FAA publication or regulation.

AFP is a Traffic Management (TM) process administered by the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) where aircraft are assigned an Expect Departure Clearance Time (EDCT) in order to manage capacity and demand for a specific area of the National Airspace System (NAS). The purpose of the program is to mitigate the effects of en route constraints. It is a flexible program and may be implemented in various forms depending upon the needs of the air traffic system.

Retrieved from ecfr.gov on July 18, 2026.