What is the role of range and bearing information in ATC radar?

• A. Range and bearing allow locating an aircraft in two dimensions relative to the radar site.
• B. Range only identifies altitude.
• C. Bearing only identifies speed.
• D. They are used only for weather detection, not aircraft tracking.

Answer: (A)

Range and bearing provide the horizontal position of an aircraft relative to the radar site. Range is the distance from the radar to the aircraft, determined by the time it takes for a radar pulse to travel to the target and back. Bearing is the direction from the radar to the aircraft, given by the radar’s scan angle or antenna orientation. Put together, they locate the aircraft in two dimensions on the surveillance screen. Altitude isn’t obtained from range and bearing alone; it comes from other systems like the aircraft’s transponder (Mode C) or ADS-B. Weather radar serves a different purpose—detecting precipitation—and is not used to determine precise aircraft position in the same way.