Definition
The time at which a pilot holding under an ATC clearance can expect to receive further routing or clearance to continue the flight. It is issued by ATC, usually with holding instructions, so the pilot has a definite time to depart the holding fix if radio communications are lost.
Plain English
The time ATC tells you to expect to leave the holding pattern and continue on your way. If your radios fail, this is the time you start flying onward instead of staying in the hold.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying during holding instructions, delays, and communication-failure procedures.
Derivation
“Clearance” in aviation means permission from air traffic control to do something. “Expect further clearance” literally points to a future time when more permission or instructions are expected.
Why Pilots Care
It lets the pilot plan fuel use and decide whether to request further clearance or depart the hold if contact is lost.
Analogy
It is like being told, “Wait here until 2:30; I expect to give you the next instruction then.” If you cannot reach the person after that, the time gives you a planned point to take the next allowed step.
Intuition Check
Do not read “expect” as a casual guess. In this context, an expect-further-clearance time is an assigned control time that may affect what the pilot does if communication is lost.
Example Sentence 1
ATC instructed us to hold north of the fix and gave an expect-further-clearance time of 1845.
Example Sentence 2
If no call comes by the expect-further-clearance time, request further clearance or depart as published.