Concerns over the publication of business aircraft registration numbers on the Internet have prompted the US Government to intervene, according to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
"Business aircraft operators, especially those undertaking sensitive missions, are demanding that flight tracking software providers block publication of aircraft registration numbers at an owner's request," says the NBAA. Specialist companies are taking raw aircraft tracking data supplied by the US Federal Aviation Administration, and turning it into marketable, "user friendly" products. This information is then sold to airlines and aircraft operators, which manipulate the software to track aircraft, check weather conditions or airport congestion along the route. Some providers have refused to block the numbers as they "-feel the value of their product will be diminished", says the NBAA, which is concerned that a few companies are now selling the information to Internet service providers, which make the information available to the general public.
The association believes software providers which refuse to block business aircraft registration numbers at the operator's request should be banned from receiving the FAA data and is now working with the US government to incorporate this into FAA legislation.
Source: Flight International
