Definition
A designated point along an arrival route, typically located at the entry to terminal airspace, at which arriving aircraft are sequenced and spaced in time so they cross it at assigned intervals. Air traffic control issues speed adjustments, vectors, or holding instructions upstream of this point to ensure aircraft cross it at the time required to meet the arrival rate at the destination airport.
Plain English
A specific point in the sky where ATC times the arrival of each aircraft. Controllers slow down or reroute aircraft on the way in so each one passes this point at a planned moment, keeping the flow into a busy airport orderly.
Context Anchor
Pilots may see or hear this term in arrival planning, air traffic control clearances, and traffic-flow discussions for busy airports.
Derivation
Metering comes from the verb 'to meter' — to measure out or release something at a controlled rate, like a parking meter measuring time. Applied to traffic, it means releasing aircraft past a point at a measured pace.
Why Pilots Care
It directly affects arrival timing, speed adjustments, fuel planning, and whether holding is required.
Intuition Check
Metering does not mean measuring fuel or electricity here. FIX does not mean a repair. In this term, it means a known point used to control the flow of aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
Center assigned us a 250-knot speed restriction so we would cross the metering fix at our assigned time.
Example Sentence 2
We reduced speed early to meet the metering fix crossing time without holding.