Definition
An Adapted Arrival Route is a pre-defined arrival path stored in the air traffic control computer system, used to route arriving aircraft from the en route environment to the destination airport. These routes are built into the ATC automation so controllers can apply them quickly and consistently rather than constructing arrival routings manually for each flight.
Plain English
A standard arrival path that is already programmed into the air traffic control computer, so controllers can assign it to incoming flights without having to build a route from scratch.
Context Anchor
You may see this term in FAA glossary material, ATC automation discussions, or traffic management information about how inbound aircraft are organized.
Derivation
Adapted here means tailored or set up in advance for a specific facility's computer system. It does not mean changed on the fly. The route has been adapted into the system, so it is ready to use.
Why Pilots Care
Using the correct adapted route prevents airspace deviations, keeps separation from other traffic, and avoids last-minute reroutes that increase workload.
Intuition Check
Do not read “adapted” here as “improvised” or “changed on the fly.” In this context, it means the route is already set up in the ATC system for arrival traffic.
Example Sentence 1
Center cleared the flight via an Adapted Arrival Route into the Class B airport, simplifying the descent planning.
Example Sentence 2
Our dispatcher noted the AAR on the release so we could load the updated waypoints before departure.