After accepting a handoff on a nonbeacon aircraft, how should you confirm its identity?

Confirming the identity of a nonbeacon aircraft after accepting a handoff is critical for maintaining effective air traffic control. Advising the aircraft of its position is a practical method of identification. This approach not only verifies the aircraft’s identity via their acknowledgment but also provides them with situational awareness regarding their location in relation to other traffic and enroute waypoints.

When you inform the aircraft of its position, you prompt them to confirm their awareness and alignment with the flight plan, which strengthens the communication between the controller and the pilot.

Other methods like checking the flight plan details or requesting the pilot to state their altitude may also provide additional information, but they do not directly confirm identity in a real-time context as effectively as position reporting. Visual identification is least applicable in many cases, especially for nonbeacon aircraft flying at altitude, where visual contact may be challenging or impossible. Thus, advising the aircraft of its position creates a reliable method for identity confirmation while also keeping the lines of communication open and reinforced.