system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why tracking systems on Aircraft can be disabled manually by someone on the plane?
gpt
ATC here checking in, the system you are talking about is a transponder and there are a ton of reasons for it to be turned off, in congested areas like an airport we have pilots squawk standby so that our radar displays don't get overcrowded, also when in a flight (multiple aircraft flying as one, think blue angels) only the lead aircraft will squawk. Otherwise it looks like a collision on our screens and kicks up a lot of warnings and alarms.