On February 18, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association president and CEO Darren Pleasance sent a letter to acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau, urging ADS-B data to be used for safety purposes rather than for “ways that go beyond its original intent.”
Pleasance wrote that he looks forward to working with President Donald Trump’s administration to modernize air traffic control (ATC) facilities and equipment, but that he and the industry do not support the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) for lawsuits and the collection of landing fees.
“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 in the letter. “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.”
The letter, which was also sent to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and leaders in Congress, stated that the GA industry contributes more than $300 billion to the economy and encompasses 1.2 million jobs. However, the mandate of ADS-B technology in 2020 cost aircraft owners more than half a billion dollars and was solely intended to “improve air traffic safety and airspace efficiencies.”
“Unfortunately, given the continued concerns from pilots across the country regarding the use of ADS-B data for nonsafety issues, there is more to do in this area, and I look forward to working with you, the FAA, and Congress, to address this important matter,” Pleasance wrote.
