Definition
A radar return shown on an air traffic controller's scope as an elongated, rectangular target. It represents the position of an aircraft as detected by the radar system.
Plain English
A short, line-shaped mark on a controller's radar screen that shows where an aircraft is.
Context Anchor
Seen in air traffic control radar and Pilot/Controller Glossary discussions of how aircraft targets appear on a controller’s display.
Derivation
From the everyday word 'slash,' meaning a short diagonal line or stroke. The radar return looks like that kind of mark on the screen, so controllers borrowed the name.
Why Pilots Care
Knowing what a slash is helps pilots understand controller phraseology and reports about radar contact, traffic, and target identification.
Intuition Check
Slash does not mean cutting something here. In this FAA context, it means a diagonal radar mark that represents an aircraft target.
Example Sentence 1
The controller identified the aircraft by the slash that appeared on the radar scope after the transponder code was confirmed.
Example Sentence 2
We copied the frequency as one two two point three slash one two one point five.