Plain English Meaning
A program running in the cockpit that watches for nearby aircraft and shows them to you on a screen, with audio warnings if one gets too close.
Full Definition
Onboard or portable software that processes signals from other aircraft (typically ADS-B Out broadcasts and, in some cases, transponder replies relayed via ADS-B ground stations) and presents nearby traffic to the pilot as visual targets and aural alerts on a cockpit display or tablet.
Context Anchor
Seen in traffic avoidance discussions and on cockpit displays that show nearby aircraft.
Why Pilots Care
It improves situational awareness and helps prevent mid-air collisions, especially in busy airspace or during instrument flight.
Analogy
It is similar to a car’s blind-spot warning: useful for catching something you might miss, but not a reason to stop looking before you move.
Intuition Check
Do not treat “advisory” as a command or clearance. It is a warning to help the pilot decide what to do, not permission to maneuver and not a guarantee that all traffic has been found.
Example Sentence 1
Before takeoff, the pilot confirmed the traffic advisory software on the tablet was receiving ADS-B traffic and weather.
Example Sentence 2
Traffic advisory software displayed a nearby aircraft climbing through the same altitude.