ADSB Tracking

[gsxrpilot]

I don't mind being tracked. After all, it's not me that's tracked its my airplane. I'm with @N201MKTurbo. It's nice to go back and check FlightAware when I'm updating my logbook. Or even looking for details of a flight.

Another good way I've found to log flights is with my EDM-900. But downloading my flights every month or so and uploading them to the Savvy Analysis page, I always have a good log of my flights including origin and destination and time.

[Bob_Belville]

@Marauder (what's that about?) and several of our family members track my plane when we're going somewhere.

I check out FlightAware for the tracks myself much of the time. (Today was a 4.7 hour VFR flight from 6B6 to KMRN.)   

Personally, I hope everyone installs ADS-B and leaves it on whenever they fly, there's a lot of traffic concentrated in populous areas and I wish those planes that could become potential conflicts would appear on my moving maps.

[gsxrpilot]

36 minutes ago, Bob_Belville said:

@Marauder (what's that about?) and several of our family members track my plane when we're going somewhere.

And a few who aren't family... like ME. I have FlightAware alerts set up for several of my favorite Mooney travelers. It gets one inspired to go places.

[gsxrpilot]

Today was one of the rare flights for me where I wasn't IFR or even on FlightFollowing. It's on FlightAware though. I was on business in Tulsa and after lunch flew back to Smithville where SWTA is now based and is doing some work on the plane. JD was with me and we wanted to do some GAMI sweeps, inflight MAG checks, and run a tank dry to further tune the senders and JPI. With all of that going on, I didn't want to deal with ATC. So we just went quiet. It was also nice to go right over the top of the DFW Bravo without having to talk to anyone or fear of being diverted around it. We were at 12,500 and the ceiling of the Bravo is 11,000.

But it was comforting to know that even though we were quiet, ATC could see us as could other airplanes in the sky. #ADSB

[Immelman]

There's a big difference between avoiding ADS-B all together, turning if off, turning your transponder off, etc, and the desire not to broadcast who and where you are each and every time you fly. If some of you like to be tracked and ID'd each time you fly - by all means, go ahead. That's the way it is for me at work (121) where everything is closely monitored, and why not? There are 150+ people behind the door entrusted to your actions.

But for a pleasure flight... no thanks. Would you want a device installed in your vehicle that transmitted your license plate and speed for all to see, each time you drove? There's a lot of liability in that, even for the up-standing and safe driver.... but everyone messes up at least once in a while. I'd rather not - quite literally - broadcast that on a flight where I'd otherwise squawk 1200. That is why, when I equip with ADS-B, I will do so with a device that offers that anonymous mode when squawking VFR. That way, everyone gets the benefits (traffic avoidance), while not *always* assuming the liability.

Edited October 18, 2017 by Immelman

[Bob - S50]

12 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Yes,

you have to go into the setup mode. Normally only your avionics tech would do that.

If you couldn't change it how would you ever sell a used transponder? It would have no value.

In my transponder you have to know the hex representation of your mode S code. My calculator knows how to do the conversion.

When I bought my transponder it had the Mode S code and the N number already programmed in. I changed the Mode S code just to see if I could and I could. When you do the airborne certification check that is one of the main things they are checking for is to see if your code is correct.

I would be very careful messing around in setup mode. The settings in there are very particular and one false button press and it is all screwed up. Read the manual three times before going there and write everything down before you change anything.

Just be careful if/when you change that code.  If you change it to the code for some other airplane you will be tracked as that airplane.  Do you know all the codes that are in use?  I suspect if you changed it, tracked as a different airplane, had an incident, and the FAA found out, they might have  some not so kind words to say.

If I was hell bent on not being tracked, I think I would opt to 'forget' to turn the transponder on rather than change the code.  But then again, since I'm inside the Seattle Mode C ring, I'd be willfully violating another regulation.

[markejackson02]

I believe you can register with the NBAA or the FAA to block output of your flight information on the ASDI data feed.  If you register with the NBAA, your registration data will still be on the feed but will not be displayed by Flightaware, etc.  You can then subscribe to FlightAware at some cost so only you can see your track.  If you register with the FAA, no registration will be sent out on the feed so no one can track you.

However, anyone with a ADS-B receiver (< $100) can track you when you are in range of their station.  There is no legal way to prevent that.

 

[EricJ]

17 hours ago, Bob_Belville said:

Personally, I hope everyone installs ADS-B and leaves it on whenever they fly, there's a lot of traffic concentrated in populous areas and I wish those planes that could become potential conflicts would appear on my moving maps.

Flying back from Lake Havasu a couple weeks ago, my tablet lit up when we got back to the south Phoenix area.

 

[Andy95W]

How do you see your flights in Flight Aware?  I'm ADSB out, but I can only see my IFR flights.  I have a UAT and I can't see the flights where I had the anonymous mode off.

[Cruiser]

just above the map area there should be text that says something like show flights not on a flight plan.

[HRM]

14 hours ago, Bob - S50 said:

Just be careful if/when you change that code.

I am betting that it is illegal. Probably the same penalty for painting over your tail number, or falsifying it.

This is one of those things that 1) you can probably get away with it until something happens and 2) Why?

Sort of like it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

[xcrmckenna]

I just wish I hadn't shown the better half how to track me. Now she knows how much I actually fly when I should be working....


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[Bob - S50]

10 hours ago, Andy95W said:

How do you see your flights in Flight Aware?  I'm ADSB out, but I can only see my IFR flights.  I have a UAT and I can't see the flights where I had the anonymous mode off.

1.  Sign in to your FlightAware account.

2.  Rest your cursor over your login name in the upper left corner of the screen.

3.  In the pop up area, click on 'Account'.

4.  Go down to area number 6 - Position only flights.

5.  Select the radio button for 'Show position only flights'.

6.  Click on Save.

[Bob - S50]

10 hours ago, HRM said:

I am betting that it is illegal. Probably the same penalty for painting over your tail number, or falsifying it.

This is one of those things that 1) you can probably get away with it until something happens and 2) Why?

Sort of like it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

That's what I was implying.  Besides, I like being tracked and being able to track the flights of my partners.

[Andy95W]

11 hours ago, Cruiser said:

just above the map area there should be text that says something like show flights not on a flight plan.

 

18 minutes ago, Bob - S50 said:

1.  Sign in to your FlightAware account.

2.  Rest your cursor over your login name in the upper left corner of the screen.

3.  In the pop up area, click on 'Account'.

4.  Go down to area number 6 - Position only flights.

5.  Select the radio button for 'Show position only flights'.

6.  Click on Save.

Thanks to both of you.  I see the problem is that I don't have an account yet.

[Marauder]

I actually turned off my tracking with the FAA site. I thought based on what I read on the FlightAware site that I could continue to track my own flights but no one else can see them.

You can. It only costs $250 to set up the service and $75 per month to show your flights.

When you request to turn off the tracking, it is done on the first Thursday of the next month. Same if you want to turn it back on.


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[Ilya Haykinson]

Is there any way I can stop ADSB from tracking me everywhere I go?  I currently have an appareo Stratus ESGi
 
If you look on flightAware, you can see everywhere I've flown;  it really makes me nervous.
 
Anyone else not comfortable being tracked everywhere you go ?
 

As long as you are flying in an area where ADS-B usage is required, I don't think that you have a choice. In theory you could go outside a Mode C veil and fly with your transponder off, but that would decrease safety for others while giving you extra privacy.

I think there is some way to turn the reg info private on places like FlightAware though.

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[McMooney]

I understand the benefits of ADSB, I love being able to see traffic BEFORE being informed by ATC.  Def get it.

Really not comfortable with people at work telling me where and when I've flown.  

Now that's just people I know.  

 

[Ilya Haykinson]

Apparently there is a process you can follow to block your tail number: https://www.nbaa.org/ops/security/asdi/

This said, there is nothing you can do to completely hide yourself since you broadcast the tail number as you fly, and anyone with a $30 radio can pick it up within a certain radius. But if geeky spying coworkers with at home setups are not your main worry, then you shouldn't have to worry.

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[N201MKTurbo]

Privacy

Are blocked tail numbers publicly visible on FlightAware? (Back to top)

No, blocked aircraft flight tracking details are only available to the aircraft owner/operator.

 

Can I send proof of ownership to FlightAware for access to track a blocked tail number? (Back to top)

Yes, FlightAware offers flight tracking for blocked aircraft as a service to owner/operators.

 

Can I block my aircraft's flight operations on FlightAware? (Back to top)

Yes, there are three ways to accomplish this:

Enroll in FlightAware's selective unblocking service for a tail number that is or isn't already blocked.

FlightAware can process your request with next-day service and will block your operations from the general public. Your FlightAware account(s) will continue to be able to securely view and track your aircraft. FlightAware will complete the paperwork necessary for blocking your aircraft on other flight tracking services and will provide you with everything you need to accomplish the block.

• FlightAware Worldwide Selective (Un)blocking
  
  
   
• In the United States
  
  The FAA operates and maintains an aircraft blocking list. This service is free although it may take 30-45 days to take effect and will not allow your user account to track your aircraft on FlightAware unless you subscribe to FlightAware's selective unblocking service for blocked tail numbers.
  
  
  
   
• Outside the United States
  
  FlightAware operates and maintains an aircraft blocking list. This service is free and will not allow your user account to track your aircraft on FlightAware unless you subscribe to FlightAware's selective unblocking service.

FlightAware is happy to answer any questions and walk you through the process, so please contact us for assistance.

 

Isn't the accessibility of this information violating the privacy of people traveling on private aircraft? (Back to top)

No, for many reasons:

1. The aircraft being displayed on FlightAware are operating in public airspace. They are arriving and departing from airports with their identification number painted on the aircraft. They are broadcasting their whereabouts and intentions on public radio frequencies. They are all using services provided by the federal government. Accordingly, this information is completely public in many forms.
2. Aircraft owners have the option of blocking their identification from being released to the public.
3. Countless companies offer services and information identical to FlightAware for a subscription fee.

Without Internet flight tracking, an individual could simply listen to the appropriate frequencies to hear their tail number of interest's next destination in the form of, "citation niner alpha mike, santa monica ground, you're cleared to las vegas executive as filed . . ." In the case of an individual trying to determine the tail number of an individual that is known to be departing a certain airport for a particular destination, they already know where the individual is going so there is hardly any knowledge gained in that circumstance. Even easier, aircraft owner information is available on the country's aircraft registry web site for search or download. If an individual doesn't have an aviation radio receiver, ATC (air traffic control) frequencies are broadcasted on countless web sites for enthusiasts and many web sites even archive ATC conversations for web users to download at a later date.

 

Isn't this information a big security risk? Is FlightAware helping terrorists? (Back to top)

This information is public knowledge and not a security risk. The assertion that knowing aircraft whereabouts, routing, or airport activity promotes terrorism or is a security risk is much like suggesting that train or subway routes and schedules should not be published.

[Marauder]

3 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Privacy

 

Can I send proof of ownership to FlightAware for access to track a blocked tail number? (Back to top)

Yes, FlightAware offers flight tracking for blocked aircraft as a service to owner/operators.

 

What FlightAware doesn't tell you in the fine print is that this costs you $250 to setup and $75 a month to keep it active. I elected turn my tracking back on.

[jonhop]

Personally, I don't mind the tracking as I know my data is out there no matter my efforts--anyone carry a cell phone in the Mooney even with no apps... There are a large number of my flights that are missing, even since the GTX-345 install. It appears that all of my short flights between KSEE and F70 don't cut the publishing mustard. I'm sure they are still tracked though...

[jonhop]

On 10/17/2017 at 8:52 AM, N201MKTurbo said:

I was getting my logbook up to date last night.

Flight aware was invaluable.

There were quite a few test flights after the new avionics that I didn't keep track of. Flight aware did.

I wish ForeFlight would import log info from Flight Aware.

 

You mean ForeFlight doesn't have an automatic logging feature? Not that I'm a Garmin Pilot fan boy but I have to delete log entries based upon me driving by an airport to my hanger at another airport...

[takair]

57 minutes ago, jonhop said:

You mean ForeFlight doesn't have an automatic logging feature? Not that I'm a Garmin Pilot fan boy but I have to delete log entries based upon me driving by an airport to my hanger at another airport...

It does.  At least the mid level one has tracking.  Need to bump up one more level for logbook, but the tracking works well enough.

[Steve W]

And FlightAware isn't the only company doing ADS-B reception, so you'd have to negotiate with all the aggregators to get your data blocked. I know when I setup my ADS-B receiver at home it gave me 4 different providers to feed data to and there's probably more than that.