As just reported by NBAA:
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today applauded the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for developing a plan to allow a real-time flight-tracking opt-out for operators that have equipped their aircraft with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) equipment, which will be required to operate in most U.S. airspace effective Jan. 1, 2020.
In a related move to ensure operator security and privacy, the FAA said it will establish new terms-of-service agreements with aircraft tracking service providers that will limit the sharing of aircraft data, if operators want to opt out from having their flight information broadcast over the Internet. The new terms of service are expected to go into effect by year’s end.
These new privacy and security developments were announced by the FAA during the NBAA Flight Planners Summit at the association’s recent Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, NV.
Under Phase 1 of the so-called “Privacy ICAO Address (PIA) Program,” which is expected to be in place by Jan.1, 2020, the FAA will set up a web portal to accept requests from operators that wish to block real-time ADS-B position and identification information for their aircraft. These operators will be issued an alternative, temporary International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aircraft address, which will not be connected to their aircraft information in the FAA Aircraft Registry.
In Phase 2, which is expected to start in mid-2020, the PIA program will be transitioned to third-party service provider(s). Only external organizations vetted by the FAA (e.g. law enforcement) will be able to reverse-look-up the true identity of an aircraft. Full details about the PIA program are available at www.faa.gov/go/adsbprivacy.
This should be good news for operators and their clients that require a degree of anonymity.