Definition
A type of FAA terminal radar approach control facility in which the radar approach control function is physically located inside the airport's control tower cab, rather than in a separate radar room or off-site building. Controllers handling radar arrivals, departures, and sequencing for the surrounding terminal airspace work in the same cab as the local and ground controllers.
Plain English
It is a setup where the radar controllers who guide aircraft into and out of the area work right inside the tower itself, instead of in a separate radar room downstairs or in a different building.
Context Anchor
Seen in air traffic control facility descriptions, airport references, and discussions of how approach control service is provided at a particular airport.
Derivation
Terminal refers to the airspace and traffic surrounding an airport, as opposed to en route airspace between airports. Radar Approach Control names the function -- using radar to sequence and separate arriving and departing aircraft. In Tower Cab specifies the location: the glass-enclosed top room of the control tower where controllers work. Put together, the term simply describes a radar approach control whose controllers sit inside the tower cab.
Why Pilots Care
Affects radio frequencies, controller workload, and coordination during approach and departure at airports using this combined setup.
Intuition Check
Do not read terminal as the passenger terminal building. Here, terminal means the airport-area airspace where aircraft are arriving, departing, or maneuvering near the airport.
Example Sentence 1
Smaller terminal facilities sometimes use a TRACAB so that radar approach controllers and tower controllers can coordinate face-to-face.
Example Sentence 2
At this airport the Terminal Radar Approach Control In Tower Cab manages both tower operations and approach radar from the same location.