Object
Sim-5 Transponder Tracking System
A compact, rack-mounted avionics unit with a slim metal housing, cabling into the cockpit and a narrow panel of status lights. Not shown in detail but named aloud; the device reads as mundane, functional aircraft equipment. Crew treat it as routine while Toby cites its existence and presumed operation during a heated refusal to power down consumer electronics.
2 appearances
Purpose
To broadcast and report the aircraft's position and status to external tracking and air-traffic systems as the onboard transponder/tracking interface.
Significance
Serves as Toby Ziegler's technical basis to contest the flight crew's order, turning a petty cabin dispute into a question of safety and expertise; its invocation sharpens character, advances the argument about protocol versus practical risk, and helps pivot the scene toward the larger presidential crisis.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used