You can see where they are going by using the plane id numbers in flight tracker websites. Most flights in USA file a flight plan.
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"All planes are required by the FAA to have transponders for tracking. You can't ghost a plane in the air without someone knowing what it's flight plan is or where it's going."
With a blocked tail number they are still on a flight plan with the FAA. The tail number is blocked to the public, not the FAA and ATC. The transponder is how they track planes on radar. There is also ADS-B which is more enhanced satellite-based and now required in most controlled airspaces which this is why LADD (Limited Aircraft Data Display) was designed. It replaced the old BARR program known as Blocked Aircraft Registry Request.
An owner or representative of the aircraft can file with the FAA to have the tail number blocked through LADD. The LADD program builds upon earlier privacy protection efforts by specifically addressing the data shared by the FAA to third parties, regardless of the source from which it was derived.
"The Administrator shall, upon request of a private aircraft owner or operator, block the registration number of the aircraft from any public dissemination or display, except in data made available to a Government agency, for the noncommercial flights of the owner or operator."
UP blocks their tail numbers.
All planes are required by the FAA to have transponders for tracking. You can't ghost a plane in the air without someone knowing what it's flight plan is or where it's going. Flight plans can be optional in the case of VFR flights, but IFR flights are required to file flight plans. If you doubt that, then think back to Sept. 11th 2001. Any aircraft flying in controlled/restricted airpsace will have a flight plan filed, but that information can be restricted. The transponder information cannot be restricted. You cannot fly any aircraft in controlled airspace without tracking measures post 9/11. Civilian and corporate aircraft are monitored at all times! There's quite a few sites available for anyone to see what's in the air.
Tell us all the ways to track planes.
You do realize that there's other ways to track planes right?
Good luck with that. They have the tail numbers blocked so people can't see their flight plan.