FAA Announces More Privacy For Aircraft Operators

The FAA recently announced greater opportunity for aircraft operators to take advantage of what many consider an important privacy initiative. The agency said it has expanded the availability of the Privacy ICAO Address (PIA) program to include more offshore airspace and routes traversing the Gulf of Mexico.

The program enables operators to use alternate temporary ICAO ADS-B addresses that help prevent third-party data sources from capturing data from ADS-B Out transmissions. Participating in the FAA’s PIA program is an involved process, but worth it for some operators who feel the need for the added security. Heidi Williams, Senior Director of Air Traffic Services and Infrastructure for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), said, “Some operators have a legitimate security need to ensure privacy and this new policy is a welcome change for those operators.” The program makes third-party call signs available to U.S.-registered aircraft with 1090 MHz ADS-B equipment.

NBAA first requested wider scope for the PIA program in 2020. According to the association, examples of the new availability would include flights from Miami to Houston, passing over the Gulf of Mexico; a flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii; and flights from Boston to Miami on routes that extend more than 12 nautical miles offshore.