Definition
The time a pilot can expect to receive clearance beyond a clearance limit (typically a holding fix). It is issued by ATC primarily for use in the event of two-way radio communications failure, telling the pilot when to leave the holding fix and continue the flight as planned.
Plain English
A time given by ATC that says: if you lose radio contact while holding, this is when you should leave the holding point and continue your flight.
Context Anchor
Commonly encountered in instrument flying when air traffic control delays an aircraft and tells the pilot when to expect the next clearance.
Why Pilots Care
Allows pilots to plan fuel reserves and decide whether to hold, divert, or request an alternate clearance.
Intuition Check
Do not treat an EFC time as permission to continue. It is only a time when the pilot can expect another clearance from air traffic control.
Example Sentence 1
ATC instructed the pilot to hold east of the VOR and gave an EFC time of 1845Z.
Example Sentence 2
With the EFC fifteen minutes away, we recalculated our fuel remaining before deciding to continue holding.