On March 28, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a notice confirming it is implementing new privacy protections for aircraft owners. We summarized the notice in our article, FAA Implements New Privacy Protections for Aircraft Owners. On April 3, 2025, the FAA published in the Federal Register a Request for Comment To Withhold Certain Aircraft Registration Information From Public Dissemination (Request for Comment) confirming it is "seeking comment on the impacts of removing certain aircraft registration data from public display on the FAA website, including through current search functions and published reports." The deadline for responding to the Request for Comment is on or before May 5, 2025. The Request for Comment summarizes the data to be removed "from FAA Websites": (A) the mailing address or registration address of the registered owner(s); (B) an electronic address (including an email address) of a registered owner(s); (C) the telephone number of a registered owner(s); and (D) the name(s) of the aircraft owner(s).
Interestingly, the Request for Comment broadly indicates this information may be removed for any registered owner, but the specific language in 49 USC § 44114(b) seems to limit privacy concern to only "individuals." In addition, the Request for Comment confirms the FAA is specifically seeking the following input:
1. How often do people or organizations access or use registered owner information, and how is this information used?
2. What would be the impact on privacy, safety, commerce, and accessibility of information if the identified categories of registered owner information are removed from public availability?
3. How would the removal of such information affect the ability of stakeholders to perform necessary functions, such as maintenance, safety checks, and regulatory compliance?
4. How should FAA implement the removal of identified categories of registered owner information from public availability?
5. What would be the impact if the FAA removed such information for private aircraft owners categorically and permitted such owners to request copies of their information rather than removing such information only upon an individual request?
6. What additional aircraft registration data should be removed from FAA websites?
The Request for Comment is a positive development for the aircraft industry. The Request for Comment indicates the FAA recognizes aircraft privacy issues are complex and must be balanced with other reasons parties are required to submit documents to the FAA Aircraft Registry (Registry). In addition, the Request for Comment seems to indicate the information is to be removed from FAA websites, but not necessarily from public review at the FAA Public Documents Room. Lastly, it gives the industry an opportunity to provide comments, solutions or concerns.
This article was originally published by Scott McCreary, Vice President at McAfee & Taft on April 7, 2025.