ProPublica: FAA Moves to Limit Blockout System Hiding Private Jet Flights

[bushmeister0]

"The business aviation association said that it would oppose the FAA's proposal, issued Friday, because it represented 'an unwarranted invasion of the privacy of aircraft owners and operators, a threat to the competitiveness of U.S. companies and a potential security risk to persons on board.'

The group's president, Ed Bolen, said the government would be providing the means to 'electronically stalk' people.

'When the sanctity of citizens' private conduct is threatened by the use of information technology, government's job is to protect the individual, not facilitate the intrusion," Bolen said in a statement."

http://www.propublica.org/article/faa-moves-to-limit-secrecy-for-private-jets

Ha, ha! Where's the outrage???? We can track you all over the internet and follow you around with the GPS on your phone and send you texts advertising out new 99 cent burger, but having the public, who paid for the air traffic control system, the airports and runways we use, knowing where we're going is an invasion of privacy. That's freaking rich! Or, I should say, they're rich.

This has nothing to do with "competitiveness," it's all about this:

"A private jet used by Texas businessmen was seized in the Congo last month after officials there said it was used to smuggle gold.

New York City Mayor Bloomberg has taken heat over his whereabouts during a December blizzard. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that one of the planes he uses was in Bermuda at the time.

Last fall, four young men sued the prominent Bishop Eddie Long of sexually abusing them during trips, in which they flew on his private jet."

[eleny]

1. The gated community in the sky

[eleny]

2. ...with diamonds

[bcool]

3. What if they wanted to track cars?

I'm a general aviation pilot (think 4-seater, 180hp planes), and I don't particularly like the idea of anybody being able to track my movements - which they CAN do under the current system, unless I specifically block it.

Would it be OK if anyone could track your trips in your car? How is tracking airplane flights any different? That seems a little Big-Brotherish to me...