AOPA seeks ADS-B protections

A February 18 letter from AOPA President Darren Pleasance to Rocheleau (with copies sent to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and leaders of key committees in Congress) notes that aircraft owners invested more than $500 million to comply with the 2020 ADS-B mandate—based on assurances that aircraft position data would be used only to improve air safety.

"We are now seeing FAA enforcement actions based on ADS-B data to prevent legal water landings or frivolous lawsuits where complainants are suing for nuisance, trespass, and intentional infliction of emotional distress for aircraft flying at 4,000 feet AGL in full compliance with FAA requirements," Pleasance wrote. "Pilots are now being forced to pay expensive legal fees to defend themselves against these questionable enforcement actions and frivolous lawsuits. Moreover, a cottage industry of companies contracting with public-use airports are now using ADS-B data to collect airport fees from general aviation pilots. As you can understand, these actions carry potential safety and individual privacy concerns that must be addressed."

Pleasance acknowledged progress achieved through collaboration between the FAA and an industry that supports 1.2 million jobs, including the Limiting Aircraft Data Displayed program and the Privacy ICAO Address program, along with further steps by Congress in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

"Unfortunately, given the continued concerns from pilots across the country regarding the use of ADS-B data for non-safety issues, there is more to do in this area," Pleasance wrote.