Definition
A request or function used in air traffic control communications and transponder operation that prompts a pilot to press the IDENT button on the transponder, causing the aircraft's radar return to momentarily highlight on the controller's scope so the controller can positively identify the aircraft. The term also appears as shorthand for 'identifier' (such as a station or airport identifier) and 'identification' in general FAA usage.
Plain English
A short way of saying 'identify yourself' or 'identifier.' Most often, it's the controller asking the pilot to press a button that makes their aircraft stand out on the radar screen.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA abbreviations, NOTAM contractions, transponder instructions, and ATC communications.
Derivation
Short for the English words identify, identifier, and identification, all from Latin identitas, meaning 'sameness' — confirming that this aircraft is the same one the controller expects to see.
Why Pilots Care
Enables quick confirmation of aircraft identity in busy airspace, reducing the chance of misidentification and supporting safe separation.
Intuition Check
IDENT does not always mean “state your name.” In aviation, it can mean a written abbreviation for identification, or it can be an instruction to use the aircraft’s transponder IDENT function.
Example Sentence 1
The controller said, "Cessna Three-Four-Alpha, ident," and the pilot pressed the IDENT button on the transponder.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot pressed the IDENT button on the transponder when instructed during the departure clearance.