What tool do ATCOs use in addition to flight progress strips to monitor aircraft?

Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) utilize a variety of tools to maintain situational awareness and ensure safe aircraft operations. In addition to flight progress strips, which provide critical information about each flight, radar and other displays are integral to monitoring aircraft movements.

Radar systems allow ATCOs to track the real-time position and altitude of aircraft in their designated airspace. This capability enhances their ability to ensure safe separation between aircraft, especially in busy airspace where multiple flights are operating simultaneously. The data visualized on radar displays helps controllers quickly assess traffic situations and make timely decisions, such as issuing clearances or changes in altitude.

Other displays, such as automated terminal information services (ATIS) and the modern systems that integrate flight data, provide additional critical information like weather conditions and runway availability, supporting controllers in maintaining safety and efficiency.

While satellite navigation systems, flight data recorders, and ground control radios serve essential roles in aviation, they do not provide the same real-time situational awareness during active air traffic management that radar and display systems deliver. Thus, the combination of flight progress strips and radar displays is vital for effective aircraft monitoring in air traffic control.