Tell HN: Musk's aircraft are not using PIA transponder codes

138 points

3 years ago

Musk, and many of those defending him, keep claiming[0] that his aircraft are part of the FAA's Privacy ICAO aircraft address (PIA) program[1]. And that therefore ElonJet or anyone else tracking them is doing more than just republishing public information because you have to first deobfuscate the PIA code.

It's false: None of the aircraft Musk has been using are currently using PIA transponder codes or have been recently, and you can verify that for yourself.

What PIA does is assign you a fresh non-traceable ICAO hex code every 60 days for each aircraft in the program. You are then responsible for keying that code into your aircraft's transponder each time you get a new one. If you don't change the transponder code there's no additional privacy, as the transponder broadcasts its original identity.

This is what an aircraft in the PIA program looks like on ADSB Exchange: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a0fe01

Note the 'PIA' flag and lack of additional information that would normally be pulled from the registry. If you convert that to the registration using an online lookup tool[2] you get N163NB, a fake record.[3]

Musk uses three jets, N628TS, N272BG, and N502SX. None are using PIA codes and all are easily visible on ADSB Exchange and most importantly have are still using their ICAO hex codes that are listed publicly along with ownership information on the FAA registry.

In fact, N628TS is airborne over the Middle East right now using its original assigned ICAO hex code of A835AF, not a PIA code.

Edit: As pointed out, this is because PIA codes may not be used when flying internationally. However you can view the aircraft's recent US-only flights and see it using the same code.

Perhaps his aircraft have used PIA codes in the past, but they're not using them now. Here's Aric Toler of Bellingcat making the same point: https://twitter.com/AricToler/status/1603802439232241665

In our discussions on HN we should at least be able to agree on basic facts like these, and avoid repeating the claims made by those with an interest in confusing the issue.

N628TS:

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a835af

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=628TS

N272BG:

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a2ae0a

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=272BG

N502SX:

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a64304

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=502SX

[0] https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1603803508087537665

[1] https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/technology/equipadsb/privacy

[2] http://www.avionictools.com/icao.php

[3] https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=163NB

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