app_privacy
American Ballooning Community Member App — Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 31, 2026
Who we are: The American Ballooning Community (“ABC”, “we”, “us”) operates this mobile application for use by club pilots, crew members, and spectators during balloon flights. Our website is abcballoon.org.
What we collect:
| Data | Why | Where stored |
|---|---|---|
| GPS location (continuous, including background) | To broadcast your position to other club members during active sessions and to be used for logbook/flight playback | ABC server |
| Name / username | To identify your position on the shared map | ABC servers |
| Balloon / flight name | To label your marker on the map | ABC server |
| Flight logbook entries (pilot and crew) | To maintain a record of flights for participating members | ABC server |
| App settings and credentials | To remember your preferences between sessions | On your device only |
We do not collect payment information, health data, contacts, photos, passwords no associated with this app, or any data unrelated to flight tracking and logbook recording.
How your data is used: Your location and identity are transmitted in real time to the ABC server for flight tracking purposes. If you have logging enabled, flight data is recorded to your logbook on the ABC server. Data is not used for any purpose other than to support the ABC App and live flight tracking.
Who we share it with: Your location and identity are transmitted in real time to the ABC server for viewing by other authenticated app users, and the general public if ABC has turned on the tracker webpage which shows ABC App flights on a public facing web page. Logbook data is accessible to you, members who have crewed with you during that flight, and club administrators. We do not sell, rent, or share your data with any third party or advertiser. We also do not use your data for any purpose other than furtherance of developing the ABC App. This includes requests by law enforcement, NTSB, FAA, insurance companies, and other similar agencies without appropriate search warrants.
Data retention: Live position data is held in memory on the server and discarded when your session ends. Data for logbook entries (including flight position data) are retained on the ABC server for as long as you are an active club member. App settings and credentials are stored locally on your device.
Background location: This app uses background location to continue broadcasting your position when the app is not in the foreground. You will be prompted to grant “Always On” location permission. You can revoke this at any time in your device Settings, which will stop position broadcasting.
Your rights: To request deletion of your logbook data or any other stored account data, contact us at webmaster@abcballoon.org. You may also delete your flight data yourself on the logbook page of the ABC App.
Children: This app is intended for club members and is not directed at children under 13.
Changes: We may update this policy as the app evolves. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance. The current privacy policy is always available at this web page.
Contact: American Ballooning Community webmaster@abcballoon.org