Definition
A controller display screen used in a remote tower facility that presents flight information as text and numbers — such as aircraft call signs, altitudes, transponder codes, and runway assignments — alongside the visual feeds and surveillance data used to control traffic at the airport being served.
Plain English
A screen at a remote tower that shows flight details in plain text and numbers, so the controller can read key information about each aircraft at a glance.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA acronym lists, airport notices, and discussions of remote tower equipment or services.
Derivation
‘Remote tower’ refers to a control tower whose controllers are not physically at the airport. ‘Alphanumerics’ combines ‘alpha’ (letters) and ‘numeric’ (numbers), meaning information shown as readable text and digits rather than as pictures or symbols.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots flying into airports served by a remote tower are still talking to a real controller — the RTAD is one of the tools that controller uses to keep track of who is who and what each aircraft is doing.
Intuition Check
“Remote” does not mean the airport is unattended or in an isolated place. Here, it means the tower service is being provided from a location away from the airport tower cab.
Example Sentence 1
At the remote tower facility, the controller cross-checked each arrival's call sign and altitude on the RTAD before issuing landing clearance.
Example Sentence 2
During remote tower training, the team reviewed how the RTAD helps maintain safe aircraft separation at the airport.