Definition
An FAA air traffic management tool used in Traffic Flow Management to coordinate the flow of departing and arriving aircraft at busy airports. IDAC allows traffic managers and controllers to electronically negotiate and assign departure release times, miles-in-trail restrictions, and other flow control instructions, replacing older voice-based coordination between facilities.
Plain English
A computer system that helps air traffic controllers at different facilities work together to time departures and arrivals so traffic flows smoothly into busy airports, instead of coordinating it all over the phone.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA glossary or air traffic control system references, not usually heard as a normal pilot radio call.
Derivation
The name describes its function: it integrates the management of departures and arrivals into one capability. 'Integrated' here means combined into a single coordinated system.
Why Pilots Care
It reduces holding times and improves safety by allowing more precise sequencing of instrument traffic at busy airports.
Intuition Check
Do not read IDAC as a cockpit instrument or pilot procedure. In this FAA glossary context, it refers to an air traffic control information system.
Example Sentence 1
Ground control advised the crew that their departure time had been adjusted through IDAC due to arrival flow restrictions at the destination.
Example Sentence 2
IDAC helped sequence arrivals during the morning rush at the busy terminal area.