Primary surveillance radar operates by transmitting high frequency radio pulses and measuring the reflected energy. It detects any physical object in the sky regardless of whether the aircraft has a functioning transponder. Air traffic controllers rely on this raw return data to track uncooperative aircraft, weather formations, and birds.
Heard on the job
We lost his transponder tag but we still have a solid PSR skin paint.
Insider tip
Controllers often refer to a PSR return as a skin paint because it reflects off the physical metal of the aircraft.
Also heard as
- primary surveillance radar
- primary radar