HR-4146, the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA Act), restricts how ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) tracking data — the GPS-like signals that aircraft continuously broadcast — can be used by government agencies and private parties. Under this bill, no person, company, or government entity may use that flight-tracking data to identify an aircraft for the purpose of billing or collecting fees from its owner without the owner's consent. Airport operators that do charge landing or takeoff fees for small private and recreational aircraft must first publicly disclose their cost-cutting efforts, alternative revenue sources, project cost estimates, and the impact on local aviation before imposing those fees. Any fees collected from general aviation aircraft (private planes, flight school aircraft, and recreational flyers) must be spent exclusively on airside safety projects — not general airport expenses. The bill also broadens an existing law so that state, local, tribal, and territorial officials, not just the FAA, are barred from certain aviation fee practices.
Civil Liberties
- Government use of flight-tracking data — prohibits federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial officials from using ADS-B data to identify aircraft for revenue collection without owner consent
Transparency & Accountability
- Airport fee disclosure requirement — public airports must publish cost-reduction efforts, alternative revenue sources, project cost estimates, and local aviation impact before imposing general aviation fees
Congressional Summary
Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act or the PAPA Act of 2025This bill limits how Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data may be used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other government agencies. The bill also establishes disclosure requirements for certain user fees imposed on general aviation aircraft at public-use airports and limits the purposes for which the fees may be used.As background, ADS-B transmits information (e.g., location and weather information) between aircraft and air traffic control.The bill prohibits a person or government agency from using ADS-B data to identify an aircraft in order to impose a charge on the aircraft owner or operator.The bill also specifies that air traffic controllers may only use ADS-B data to assist in tracking aircraft and improving air traffic safety and efficiency, or for other purposes determined appropriate by the Department of Transportation after notice and public comment.Further, the bill prohibits any federal, state, local, territorial, or tribal official from initiating an investigation (excluding a criminal investigation) of a person based exclusively on ADS-B data. Under current law, this prohibition only applies to the FAA. In addition, owners and operators of public-use airports must publicly disclose financial information about certain expenses and cost estimates for airside safety projects (e.g., runway or taxiway safety improvements) prior to charging landing or takeoff fees for general aviation aircraft (e.g., aircraft used for personal, recreational, or flight training purposes). Further, any revenue from these fees may only be used for airside safety projects.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-06-25
- Date Added
- 2026-05-05
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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