Senator Pat Roberts speaks out against BARR cutbacks
July 20, 2011, 04:43 pm
The proposed cutbacks on the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have come under fire from numerous directions, most recently from Kansas Senator Pat Roberts.
Under BARR, private citizens and organizations are able to prevent their aircraft movement from being tracked by anyone other than the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement entities. The federal government announced in March that it planned to significantly cut back BARR and limit the individuals who could use the program.
In an article submitted to the Wichita Eagle, Roberts blasted the FAA's decision, stating "If the proposed changes by the FAA are put in place, anyone with a computer and easily accessible tracking technology can stalk general aviation aircraft users. This reversal would dismantle a decade-old policy put in place to uphold the privacy rights of thousands of Americans."
Supporters of BARR point to a number of concerns in an attempt to keep the program in effect. The essential elimination of BARR inhibits the privacy rights of citizens, and the removal of the program could lead to potential increases in premiums of life insurance for pilots.
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