Definition
Verbal reports made by a pilot to ATC over specified compulsory reporting points when operating in airspace where radar coverage is unavailable. Each report includes aircraft identification, position, time, altitude, type of flight plan, ETA and name of the next reporting point, the name of the reporting point following that, and any pertinent remarks. These reports allow ATC to maintain separation and track the flight without radar.
Plain English
When ATC can't see you on radar, you tell them where you are by voice as you cross certain points along your route, so they can keep track of your flight.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying, especially on routes or approaches where radar coverage is limited or unavailable and the pilot must report passing specific points.
Derivation
Radar originally comes from “radio detection and ranging,” meaning finding an object and its distance by radio signals. “Non-radar” means that this automatic tracking is not being used, so the pilot’s spoken report becomes the controller’s way to know the aircraft’s position.
Why Pilots Care
Maintains proper aircraft separation and situational awareness for controllers when radar data is unavailable.
Grounding Statement
In non-radar flying, the controller’s traffic picture is built from what pilots report by radio, not from a moving radar target on a screen.
Intuition Check
Do not read “non-radar” as “no air traffic control.” It means ATC may still be working the flight, but the pilot must supply position information by radio instead of relying on radar tracking.
Example Sentence 1
After losing radar contact, the pilot began making non-radar position reports at each compulsory reporting point along the airway.
Example Sentence 2
Outside radar coverage the crew continued making non-radar position reports at each designated fix.