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.
Plain English
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.
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.