Definition
A dedicated portion of an ARTS III or DBRITE radar display reserved for showing system-wide information such as the time, current altimeter setting, and the status of the radar and computer systems supporting the controller's position.
Plain English
A fixed section of the controller's radar screen that shows general information about the system itself — like the clock, altimeter setting, and whether the equipment is working normally — rather than information about any specific aircraft.
Context Anchor
Seen in diagrams and explanations of air traffic control radar displays, especially terminal radar displays used by controllers.
Why Pilots Care
Understanding that controllers have a dedicated area for system status and the current altimeter setting helps explain why ATC routinely issues altimeter settings on initial contact and why brief equipment outages can affect the service you receive.
Intuition Check
Do not assume “system data area” means information about the aircraft’s systems. Here it means a reserved area on the controller’s radar display for information from the radar/display system.
Example Sentence 1
The current altimeter setting is shown in the system data area at the top of the controller's scope.
Example Sentence 2
A status message appeared in the system data area indicating a brief radar data update.