AOPA Commends House Committee Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Advance Aviation Safety

The ALERT Act, as amended, incorporates key provisions of the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA) that would prohibit the use of ADS-B data to collect fees from pilots. PAPA has been a top priority for AOPA and has received widespread support among safety advocates and others.

The ALERT Act would, among other provisions, require the FAA Administrator to allow the use of any collision prevention technology, including portable ADS-B In receivers that display on a portable device, electronic flight bag, or panel-mounted display. The bill calls for equipping aircraft no later than December 31, 2031, and exempts aircraft with a limited category special airworthiness certificate or an experimental airworthiness certificate.

The ALERT Act would also extend to all government entities a prohibition on initiating investigations on pilots when relying solely on ADS-B data. Current law prohibiting this practice only applies to the FAA.

“We appreciate the bipartisan work of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and their willingness to listen to the concerns of hundreds of thousands of AOPA members from across the country—ADS-B is a safety tool,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon.

“Actions like today are why it is important for every general aviation pilot to be an AOPA member and to be engaged in the process. This fight is not over and AOPA members will need to continue to engage with their congressional representatives,” added Coon.

AOPA will continue to strongly advocate for safety and pilot privacy as the ALERT Act works its way through the legislative process. The ALERT Act now heads to the full House for consideration.