What is Established?

Surprisingly, the FAA is not the place to look for a definition of established. The AIM and the Instrument Flying Handbook say nothing on the topic. Only in the Instrument Procedures Handbook (FAA-H-8261-1A) does a definition pop up, and it just says that ICAO defines established as within half-scale indication on a localizer or VOR course. Useful, but there must be more.

Editorial Staff

Monday, August 04, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The term "established" lacks a universal FAA definition; ICAO generally defines it as within half-scale indication on a course.
The practical application of "established" for initiating descents varies by navigation type (ILS, VOR, GPS), requiring pilots to understand specific cues for each system.
For GPS approaches, pilots should be aware that turn anticipation means they are not "established" on the next leg for descent until abeam the fix or after the GPS sequences, despite a centered course deviation indicator.
While aviation systems incorporate safety margins, a precise understanding and application of "established" are crucial for regulatory compliance and maintaining professional piloting standards.

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We’ve all heard “Maintain … until established.” We fly the route and make our descents without ATC yelling (usually). But are we actually doing it right?
Surprisingly, the FAA is not the place to look for a definition of “established.” The AIM and the Instrument Flying Handbook say nothing on the topic. Only in the Instrument Procedures Handbook (FAA-H-8261-1A) does a definition pop up, and it just says that ICAO defines “established” as within half-scale indication on a localizer or VOR course. Useful, but there must be more.