Definition
Time-Based Management is an air traffic management method in which aircraft flow is regulated by assigning specific times — rather than distances or miles-in-trail — for aircraft to cross designated points along their route or arrival path. Controllers and automation tools sequence traffic to meet these scheduled crossing times, supporting efficient arrival flows into busy airports.
Plain English
It is a way of managing air traffic by giving each aircraft a target time to be at a certain point, instead of just spacing them by distance. The system then helps line everyone up to arrive in an orderly stream.
Context Anchor
Seen in air traffic management, arrival planning, and discussions of how controllers sequence aircraft into busy airports.
Why Pilots Care
It reduces delays, fuel use, and holding by making traffic flow more predictable at busy airports.
Intuition Check
Do not read “management” here as general office-style management. In this context, it means actively organizing aircraft movement by planned times, not just supervising it.
Example Sentence 1
Because the arrival was operating under Time-Based Management, ATC asked us to slow to 280 knots to meet our assigned crossing time at the metering fix.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot adjusted speed to meet the TBM crossing time and avoid a holding pattern.