Albuquerque ARTCC, Sector 67, September 2007

Air traffic controller working a high altitude sector, flight level 300 and above, located in north-central Arizona (Phoenix would be just off the screen at the lower left-center). This sector works mostly east/west traffic to and from southern California and Las Vegas, NV.

Part of the focus of this time particular time period is sequencing Las Vegas, NV landing traffic, as well as sequencing for Los Angeles. Las Vegas landing traffic has the three letters "LAS" at the bottom of their data blocks, and Los Angeles, "LAX".

Since I mentioned "data blocks", they have 4 lines of information and are connected to the aircraft's actual radar target, by a "leader line"...1st line of data block - callsign, 2nd line - altitude...if it is 3 digits, the aircraft is level at their assigned altitude, if it's six digits, it shows the assigned altitude (the altitude the aircraft is climbing or descending to), followed by its current altitude. 3rd line - first three digits are a computer identification number used by the controller to make changes to the datablock via his or her computer keyboard, second three digits are the ground speed. Fourth line - the destination airport's three-letter identifier.