Definition
An ATC-assigned holding delay issued to a military aircraft (the receiver, the tanker, or both) so that arrival at the aerial refueling rendezvous point or track entry occurs at the correct time. The delay is absorbed in a holding pattern at a designated fix or altitude before the refueling operation begins.
Plain English
A waiting period in a holding pattern given to a military aircraft so it shows up at the air-to-air refueling meeting point at the right moment.
Context Anchor
Seen in air traffic control and flight planning contexts involving military or special-use flights that refuel while airborne.
Derivation
Aerial means “in the air,” from Latin words connected with air. Refueling means putting fuel back into an aircraft. Delay means a hold-up or waiting period. Together, the term points to a waiting period caused by fueling an aircraft while it is still airborne.
Why Pilots Care
Affects total flight time, fuel calculations, arrival schedules, and the need for alternate airports or revised departure times.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as an ordinary fueling delay on the ramp. Here, the delay is tied to refueling that happens between aircraft in flight.
Example Sentence 1
The tanker received an aerial refueling delay of ten minutes at the holding fix to allow the receivers to catch up.
Example Sentence 2
ATC advised of an aerial refueling delay that pushed back the arrival time for all affected aircraft.