Definition
A computer-generated indication shown on an air traffic controller's radar display that marks the current location of a tracked aircraft.
Plain English
The little mark on a controller's radar screen that shows where your aircraft is right now.
Context Anchor
Seen in air traffic control and radar-display discussions, especially when describing how controllers view and track aircraft.
Derivation
“Position” comes from a Latin word meaning “placement” or “place.” “Symbol” comes from a Greek word meaning a sign or mark. Together, the term means a mark that shows a place, which fits its use on an air traffic control display.
Why Pilots Care
Controllers rely on accurate position symbols to identify aircraft, issue instructions, and maintain safe separation.
Intuition Check
Do not read “position symbol” as a general map label or a cockpit icon. In this FAA context, it means the specific mark on an air traffic control radar display that represents an aircraft’s displayed location.
Example Sentence 1
The controller identified the aircraft by correlating the position symbol on the radar display with the pilot's reported location.
Example Sentence 2
Each aircraft appeared as a distinct position symbol that updated with every radar sweep.