Congress quietly shields pilots from surveillance-based fees—but airports may shift costs to you
S. 2175 — Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act · Filed by Ted Budd (R-NC) · 3 cosponsors · Introduced Jun 25, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill restricts how the FAA and other agencies can use aircraft tracking data (ADS-B) to identify planes for fee collection or investigations, and requires airports to publicly disclose their financial situation and cost-reduction efforts before imposing landing or takeoff fees on general aviation aircraft. The bill also mandates that any fees collected from general aviation must be spent only on airside safety projects, not other airport operations. The intent is to protect pilot privacy and prevent airports from using surveillance data as a tool for revenue collection, while ensuring transparency and fairness in how general aviation is charged.
Why we flagged it
The bill primarily restricts how ADS-B surveillance data can be used (privacy protection) and imposes transparency requirements on airports before they levy fees on general aviation aircraft. It is fundamentally regulatory in nature, establishing guardrails rather than creating new revenue or programs.
What the text implies
- The ADS-B data restriction may limit FAA's ability to conduct certain safety investigations or enforce compliance, potentially creating enforcement blind spots if the definition of 'investigation' is narrowly construed.
- The fee disclosure requirements could incentivize airports to shift costs to commercial carriers or other revenue sources, indirectly raising ticket prices or airport fees for the traveling public.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
general aviation operators and owners; flight training schools; small regional airports