NAFA Member, David G. Mayer, partner in the global Aviation Practice Group at Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, discusses aircraft privacy.
Business aircraft owners around the globe constantly risk exposure of their personal information on the ground and in the air. The consequences could result in threats to their safety and security or cause the loss of opportunities for them or their enterprises. For large corporations, even the optics of operating business aircraft may invite unwanted public scrutiny.
In light of these risks, aircraft owners and operators (owners) should, with their best advisors, apply technology tools to thwart breaches of privacy, create legal ownership structures to protect their identity, and implement security and aircraft use plans to mitigate these risks. They should also monitor and adapt to changes in laws that affect access to personal information, such as the FAA’s controversial pivot on December 12 to enhance privacy—at a potentially burdensome cost.
This article was originally published in AINonline on January 13, 2023.