Definition
The point at which an aircraft enters an air traffic control facility's radar coverage and is identified on the controller's radar display, allowing the controller to provide radar services such as vectors, traffic advisories, and separation.
Plain English
The moment when a controller's radar can see your aircraft and has confirmed which target on the screen is you. From that point on, the controller can guide you using radar.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying, ATC radar coverage, and discussions of whether an aircraft can be seen on radar.
Derivation
Radar comes from 'radio detection and ranging.' Reception here means being picked up or received by the radar system — the aircraft is now within range and identified on the scope.
Why Pilots Care
Loss of radar reception can remove altitude cues or ATC tracking, requiring immediate reversion to other instruments to maintain control.
Intuition Check
Radar reception does not mean a pilot heard a radio transmission. Here, it means radar equipment received a usable radar signal or reply.
Example Sentence 1
After departure, the tower instructed us to contact Departure, who confirmed radar reception and assigned a heading of 270.
Example Sentence 2
Strong radar reception allowed the controller to provide precise vectors through the clouds.