Pilots Called to Action To Lobby Against ADS-B Misuse

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is calling on general aviation pilots to contact their senators and representatives in Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA), legislation that would address growing concerns over the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, including its use by some airports to charge fees to pilots.

“When the ADS-B mandate went into effect in 2020, the FAA said this important technology would only be used for safety and airspace efficiency. Instead, we’re now seeing it used in ways that discourage adoption,” said AOPA President and CEO Darren Pleasance, who noted the “misuse of ADS-B is a step backward for aviation safety and erodes trust in our aviation system.”

PAPA was introduced in 2025 by Rep. Bob Onder (R-Mo.) as H.R. 4146 and Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) as S. 2175. If passed, it would:

• Prohibit the use of ADS-B data to assist in the collection of fees from pilots or aircraft owners.
• Clarify that ADS-B data may only be used for its intended purposes of air traffic safety and efficiency.
• Expand a provision in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that would effectively ban any government official from initiating a non-criminal investigation based solely on ADS-B data.
• Ensure airports are transparent about proposed fees and their intended purpose.
• Give the Secretary of Transportation the discretion to authorize other uses of ADS-B data.

Onder highlighted PAPA during a recent House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, saying, “If ADS-B is being used by, I’ll say, bad actors to monetize airport landing fees, that’s going to discourage folks from employing ADS-B or adopting ADS-B in the first place or turning it off.”

“As pilots, we know firsthand how vital ADS-B is to aviation safety and how important it is that this be addressed at the national level,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon. “Montana was the first state to pass a law prohibiting the use of ADS-B to charge fees to most GA pilots. We’re also seeing momentum building nationwide, with similar bills being filed in states like Arizona, Oklahoma, Florida, and Minnesota, with more on the way. While each of these efforts helps improve aviation safety, a patchwork of state laws could create confusion among pilots.”

“To be clear, the bill would not prevent airports from imposing fees on pilots, nor would it impede the use of FlightAware, Flightradar24, or other popular flight tracking apps,” Pleasance explained. “When this bill becomes law, airports will still be able to impose fees, as long as they are fair and reasonable. Airports could also continue to use ADS-B to monitor traffic counts, understand traffic patterns and flows to help them manage and create operational efficiencies.”

“As pilots, we understand how much of a game changer ADS-B has been,” he added. “I’ve spoken with many people who are deeply concerned about how quickly more airports are adopting this technology and how the data is being used. Allowing third parties to access personal information in the FAA aircraft registry without consent deters pilots and aircraft owners from equipping their aircraft with ADS-B.”

“Many of us have used ADS-B to track a flight online using a service like Flightradar24 or FlightAware, but those who aren’t pilots may not understand how critical this technology has been to the continual improvement we’re seeing in general aviation safety,” said AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Vice President Mike Ginter. “The accident rate has been dropping for more than 30 years and there is no question that ADS-B has contributed to that success.”

On its website, AOPA offers tips on how to contact elected representatives, including a link to search for your elected officials. Check it out here.

For more information: AOPA.org