On this page
Unfamiliar word? Select a dotted-underlined term for its meaning.
Three parts to separate
| What you see | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Current origin symbol | The contact position shown now. Its shape has a different job from the line and trail; see origin shapes. |
| Leader line | The line extending from the current symbol in the displayed movement direction. It is a movement cue, not an order to fly there. |
| History dots, or plots | Earlier detected positions. Read the trail back from the current position to see how the reported path developed. |
Read a moving contact
- Find the current origin symbol first. Use TRACK LIST to locate a contact if the scope is crowded.
- Look at the leader from that symbol: which way does it point on the map? Then compare the earlier plots behind the contact.
- Watch several updates. A curved trail can help you notice a turn; the current leader shows the developing movement direction.
- Hook the contact and read its height and speed in the trackblock or Flight Info. Use the speed figure rather than measuring the line on the screen.
A longer line is not an exact speed measurement
The game scales leader length using movement information and applies minimum and maximum lengths. Zoom and display scaling also affect the geometry. Two lines are not a reliable ruler for comparing exact speeds. Read the speed number, and use the range/bearing tool for distance.
A trail is not the cleared route
The plots show earlier detected positions, not the route the aircraft has been told to fly next. A curved trail can show a past turn; it does not prove the next waypoint or a pilot’s intended destination. Compare available flight-plan information when investigating that question.
Make the data easier to read
Hook only the contacts you are investigating and use the data-display controls to reduce overlapping text. Changing C, X or solo-data mode changes the data display; it is not a new radar report. Do not mistake a newly hidden block for a disappeared aircraft.
When the picture stops updating
If a contact flashes or disappears, check faded tracks and missing-track checks. A gap in the trail alone is not a hostile identification or proof of jamming. Compare sensor coverage, current data and the wider picture before deciding why.