Definition
A dynamic value set by air traffic control that specifies the number of arriving aircraft an airport can safely accept per hour. It is determined by factors including runway configuration in use, weather conditions, instrument approach procedures in effect, and available controller and ground capacity.
Plain English
The maximum number of planes per hour that an airport can safely take in for landing right now, given the current weather and runway setup.
Context Anchor
Seen in air traffic planning, delay programs, and discussions about how many arrivals an airport can accept.
Why Pilots Care
It directly affects expected delays, holding requirements, and fuel planning.
Grounding Statement
If weather reduces the number of runways that can be used, the airport arrival rate may be lowered because fewer aircraft can land safely each hour.
Intuition Check
Airport Arrival Rate does not mean how fast one airplane approaches the airport. It means how many aircraft the airport can accept for landing during a set time period.
Example Sentence 1
The airport arrival rate at SFO was reduced this morning because low ceilings forced single-runway approaches.
Example Sentence 2
Pilots check the airport arrival rate to decide whether extra fuel is needed for possible holding.