NBAA is working with the FAA to address what it perceives as shortcomings with the Privacy ICAO Address (PIA) program. While the FAA has traditionally linked an aircraft’s Mode S transponder (ICAO) code to the aircraft’s registration, under PIA operators can request to use alternate ICAO codes that are not published in the FAA’s publicly available aircraft registry. However, if that alternate code is broken, it can take 60 days for the FAA to assign a new code to the aircraft.
Arguing that such a lag is insufficient, NBAA and the FAA are working together to reduce the time involved to issue a new code if an operator’s code should become compromised.
“With the increasing availability and public awareness of technologies capable of reading and sharing aircraft transmissions, it’s clear the current timeframe of PIA code changes is not sufficient,” said Heidi Williams, NBAA’s senior director for air traffic services and infrastructure. Operators needing a new code less than 60 days following the issuance of their previous PIA code should contact the FAA.
NBAA, which has a webpage dedicated to the PIA program, is also collaborating with the FAA to expand the airspace available to aircraft using PIA codes, such as off the East and Gulf Coasts of the U.S. and airspace managed by other international air navigation service providers.