diff --git a/scripts/package-boundaries.json b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
index ae9d2e2dd..f469c92da 100644
--- a/scripts/package-boundaries.json
+++ b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
@@ -1315,6 +1315,7 @@
       "src/layers/flights/policy.js",
       "src/layers/flights/queries.js",
       "src/layers/flights/rendering.js",
+      "src/data/billboardMirror.js",
       "src/layers/aircraft/visualState.js",
       "src/layers/flights/state.js",
       "src/layers/flights/testing.js",
@@ -1375,6 +1376,7 @@
       "src/layers/military/policy.js",
       "src/layers/military/queries.js",
       "src/layers/military/rendering.js",
+      "src/data/billboardMirror.js",
       "src/layers/aircraft/visualState.js",
       "src/layers/military/state.js",
       "src/layers/military/testing.js",
@@ -2320,6 +2322,7 @@
       "src/data/aircraftMeta.js",
       "src/data/aircraftNearbyPolicy.js",
       "src/data/aircraftRecession.js",
+      "src/data/billboardMirror.js",
       "src/data/aisLiveVessels.js",
       "src/data/alprCameras.js",
       "src/data/analystEngine.js",
@@ -3284,6 +3287,7 @@
       "src/data/aircraftMeta.js",
       "src/data/aircraftNearbyPolicy.js",
       "src/data/aircraftRecession.js",
+      "src/data/billboardMirror.js",
       "src/data/cctvCards.js",
       "src/data/cctvFootprint.js",
       "src/data/cctvGizmo.js",
diff --git a/src/data/aircraftRecession.js b/src/data/aircraftRecession.js
index 04c41e604..984038d16 100644
--- a/src/data/aircraftRecession.js
+++ b/src/data/aircraftRecession.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  * with the locked NearFarScalar. It never edits that scalar, culls a contact,
  * or allows alpha to reach zero.
  */
+import { billboardState, setBillboard } from './billboardMirror.js';
 
 export const DEFAULT_AIRCRAFT_RECESSION_PARAMS = Object.freeze({
   startLimbRatio: 0.5,
@@ -220,11 +221,12 @@ export function applyAircraftBillboardTreatment({
   const alpha = baseAlpha * composedTreatment;
   let scaleWrites = 0;
   let alphaWrites = 0;
+  const pushedScale = billboardState(billboard)?.scale;
   if (
-    !Number.isFinite(billboard.scale) ||
-    Math.abs(billboard.scale - scale) > tuning.writeEpsilon
+    !Number.isFinite(pushedScale) ||
+    Math.abs(pushedScale - scale) > tuning.writeEpsilon
   ) {
-    billboard.scale = scale;
+    setBillboard(billboard, 'scale', scale);
     scaleWrites = 1;
   }
   if (
diff --git a/src/data/aircraftRecession.test.mjs b/src/data/aircraftRecession.test.mjs
index 23b8ceffb..7173a36d2 100644
--- a/src/data/aircraftRecession.test.mjs
+++ b/src/data/aircraftRecession.test.mjs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   applyAircraftModelTreatment,
   cameraLimbDistanceM,
 } from './aircraftRecession.js';
+import { mirrorBillboard } from './billboardMirror.js';
 
 const params = { ...DEFAULT_AIRCRAFT_RECESSION_PARAMS };
 const cameraHeightM = 1_000_000;
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ test('globe-view transition eases to identity without a threshold pop', () => {
 
 test('aircraft billboard wire writes scale and alpha only for the far treatment', () => {
   const color = { withAlpha: (alpha) => ({ alpha }) };
-  const near = { scale: 1.2, color: { alpha: 0.8 } };
+  const near = mirrorBillboard({ scale: 1.2, color: { alpha: 0.8 } });
   const nearResult = applyAircraftBillboardTreatment({
     billboard: near,
     baseScale: 1.2,
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ test('aircraft billboard wire writes scale and alpha only for the far treatment'
   assert.equal(nearResult.scaleWrites, 0);
   assert.equal(nearResult.alphaWrites, 0);
 
-  const far = { scale: 1.2, color: { alpha: 0.8 } };
+  const far = mirrorBillboard({ scale: 1.2, color: { alpha: 0.8 } });
   const farResult = applyAircraftBillboardTreatment({
     billboard: far,
     baseScale: 1.2,
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ test('aircraft billboard wire writes scale and alpha only for the far treatment'
 
 test('combined focus and haze product is clamped at the composed alpha floor', () => {
   const color = { withAlpha: (alpha) => ({ alpha }) };
-  const billboard = { scale: 0.45, color: { alpha: 1 } };
+  const billboard = mirrorBillboard({ scale: 0.45, color: { alpha: 1 } });
   const result = applyAircraftBillboardTreatment({
     billboard,
     baseScale: 1,
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ test('combined focus and haze product is clamped at the composed alpha floor', (
 
 test('applyAircraftBillboardTreatment returns its documented module singleton', () => {
   const color = { withAlpha: (alpha) => ({ alpha }) };
-  const billboard = { scale: 1, color: { alpha: 1 } };
+  const billboard = mirrorBillboard({ scale: 1, color: { alpha: 1 } });
   const input = {
     billboard,
     baseAlpha: 1,
diff --git a/src/data/billboardMirror.js b/src/data/billboardMirror.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4084791e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/data/billboardMirror.js
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/**
+ * @module billboardMirror
+ * @description Core's copy of what a layer pushed to its billboards, so the layer
+ * reads its own state back from Core instead of from the renderer's objects.
+ *
+ * A layer adds billboards with {@link addBillboard}, writes the mirrored fields
+ * with {@link setBillboard}, and reads them with {@link billboardState}. Fields
+ * outside the mirror (image, colour, eye offset, …) are written to the billboard
+ * directly. Colour stays out because the cyber-sonar theme writes it too and
+ * tells the two writers apart by reading the live value.
+ */
+import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
+import { createEntityStore } from './entityRecords.js';
+
+const mirrors = createEntityStore();
+
+/**
+ * Mirrored fields with Cesium's defaults for a billboard added without them.
+ * Width and height have none: unset, Cesium reports the loaded image's size,
+ * which Core cannot know, so {@link addBillboard} requires them.
+ */
+const DEFAULTS = Object.freeze({
+  show: true,
+  scale: 1,
+  rotation: 0,
+  width: undefined,
+  height: undefined,
+  scaleByDistance: undefined,
+});
+
+/** Cesium copies positions and scalers on write; the mirror keeps its own copy too. */
+function copyInto(record, field, value) {
+  if (field === 'position') {
+    // Cesium keeps its old position when handed none; so does the mirror.
+    if (!value && record.position) return;
+    record.position = Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(
+      value ?? Cesium.Cartesian3.ZERO,
+      record.position,
+    );
+  } else if (field === 'scaleByDistance') {
+    record.scaleByDistance = value
+      ? Cesium.NearFarScalar.clone(value, record.scaleByDistance)
+      : undefined;
+  } else {
+    record[field] = value;
+  }
+}
+
+function seed(billboard, source) {
+  const record = mirrors.write(billboard);
+  copyInto(record, 'position', source.position);
+  for (const [field, fallback] of Object.entries(DEFAULTS))
+    copyInto(record, field, source[field] ?? fallback);
+  return record;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Add a billboard and remember what was pushed.
+ * @param {Cesium.BillboardCollection} collection
+ * @param {Object} options Billboard options, as for `collection.add`, with an
+ *   explicit `width` and `height`.
+ * @returns {Cesium.Billboard}
+ */
+export function addBillboard(collection, options) {
+  if (!Number.isFinite(options?.width) || !Number.isFinite(options?.height))
+    throw new TypeError(
+      'A mirrored billboard needs an explicit width and height',
+    );
+  const billboard = collection.add(options);
+  seed(billboard, options);
+  return billboard;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Start mirroring a billboard Core did not add itself (test seams), from its
+ * current fields.
+ * @param {Object} billboard
+ * @returns {Object} The billboard.
+ */
+export function mirrorBillboard(billboard) {
+  if (billboard && typeof billboard === 'object') seed(billboard, billboard);
+  return billboard;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Write one mirrored field to the billboard and to Core's copy.
+ * @param {Object} billboard
+ * @param {'show'|'position'|'scale'|'rotation'|'width'|'height'|'scaleByDistance'} field
+ * @param {*} value
+ */
+export function setBillboard(billboard, field, value) {
+  copyInto(mirrors.write(billboard), field, value);
+  billboard[field] = value;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Core's copy of a billboard's mirrored fields, or null when it has none (or
+ * there is no billboard).
+ * @param {Object|null|undefined} billboard
+ * @returns {{ show: boolean, position: Cesium.Cartesian3, scale: number,
+ *   rotation: number, width?: number, height?: number,
+ *   scaleByDistance?: Cesium.NearFarScalar }|null}
+ */
+export function billboardState(billboard) {
+  return mirrors.read(billboard);
+}
diff --git a/src/data/billboardMirror.test.mjs b/src/data/billboardMirror.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b53b489ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/data/billboardMirror.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
+import {
+  addBillboard,
+  billboardState,
+  mirrorBillboard,
+  setBillboard,
+} from './billboardMirror.js';
+
+const SIZE = Object.freeze({ width: 20, height: 20 });
+
+function fakeCollection() {
+  return { add: (options) => ({ ...options }) };
+}
+
+test('an added billboard is mirrored with Cesium defaults for unset fields', () => {
+  const position = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(10, 20, 30);
+  const bb = addBillboard(fakeCollection(), { position, width: 20, height: 24 });
+  const state = billboardState(bb);
+  assert.equal(state.show, true);
+  assert.equal(state.scale, 1);
+  assert.equal(state.rotation, 0);
+  assert.equal(state.width, 20);
+  assert.equal(state.height, 24);
+  assert.ok(Cesium.Cartesian3.equals(state.position, position));
+  assert.notEqual(state.position, position, 'the mirror keeps its own copy');
+});
+
+test('writes reach both the billboard and the mirror', () => {
+  const bb = addBillboard(fakeCollection(), SIZE);
+  setBillboard(bb, 'show', false);
+  setBillboard(bb, 'scale', 0.5);
+  assert.equal(bb.show, false);
+  assert.equal(billboardState(bb).show, false);
+  assert.equal(billboardState(bb).scale, 0.5);
+});
+
+test('a reused scratch position does not move the mirror', () => {
+  const bb = addBillboard(fakeCollection(), SIZE);
+  const scratch = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(1, 2, 3);
+  setBillboard(bb, 'position', scratch);
+  const written = Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(scratch);
+  Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(50, 50, 50, undefined, scratch);
+  assert.ok(Cesium.Cartesian3.equals(billboardState(bb).position, written));
+});
+
+test('writing no position keeps the last one, as Cesium does', () => {
+  const position = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(1, 2, 3);
+  const bb = addBillboard(fakeCollection(), { ...SIZE, position });
+  setBillboard(bb, 'position', undefined);
+  assert.ok(Cesium.Cartesian3.equals(billboardState(bb).position, position));
+});
+
+test('the mirror answers from Core, not from the billboard', () => {
+  const bb = addBillboard(fakeCollection(), { ...SIZE, show: true });
+  bb.show = false; // a write that bypassed the mirror
+  assert.equal(billboardState(bb).show, true);
+});
+
+test('a billboard Core did not add can be mirrored from its fields', () => {
+  const bb = mirrorBillboard({ show: false, scale: 2 });
+  assert.equal(billboardState(bb).show, false);
+  assert.equal(billboardState(bb).scale, 2);
+  assert.ok(Cesium.Cartesian3.equals(billboardState(bb).position, Cesium.Cartesian3.ZERO));
+  assert.equal(billboardState(null), null);
+  assert.equal(mirrorBillboard(null), null);
+});
+
+test('a billboard without explicit dimensions is refused', () => {
+  // Unset, Cesium reports the image's size, which the mirror cannot know.
+  assert.throws(() => addBillboard(fakeCollection(), {}), TypeError);
+  assert.throws(() => addBillboard(fakeCollection(), { width: 20 }), TypeError);
+});
diff --git a/src/data/cockpitModels.test.mjs b/src/data/cockpitModels.test.mjs
index fcadcfa51..2f4930985 100644
--- a/src/data/cockpitModels.test.mjs
+++ b/src/data/cockpitModels.test.mjs
@@ -90,11 +90,11 @@ for (const layer of LAYERS) {
     // operator explicitly converted into a TR-3B.
     assert.match(source, /bb\.image\s*=\s*aircraftIcon\(\s*_iconKind\(\s*icao24,\s*meta\?\.klass,?\s*\)(,\s*aircraftVisuals\.read\(bb\)\?\.iconLarge\s*\?\s*TRACKED_ICON_PX\s*:\s*undefined)?,?\s*\)/,
       'near contacts and model fallbacks retain the class-derived aircraft silhouette');
-    assert.match(source, /bb\.rotation\s*=\s*0;/,
+    assert.match(source, /setBillboard\(\s*bb,\s*'rotation',\s*0\s*\);/,
       'far dots are reset to a rotation-free presentation');
     assert.match(source, /\(\s*!(?:flightState\.)?_cockpitContactMode\s*\|\|\s*isCockpitNear,?\s*\)\s*&&\s*\(\s*doRotations\s*\|\|\s*revealed,?\s*\)/,
       'near 2D silhouettes continue to receive projected course');
-    assert.match(source, /if\s*\(\s*bb\.show,?\s*\)\s*bb\.show\s*=\s*false;\s*\/\/\s*hand\s*off\s*ONLY\s*once\s*the\s*model\s*renders/,
+    assert.match(source, /if\s*\(\s*billboardState\(bb\)\.show,?\s*\)\s*setBillboard\(\s*bb,\s*'show',\s*false\s*\);\s*\/\/\s*hand\s*off\s*ONLY\s*once\s*the\s*model\s*renders/,
       'the gap-proof billboard-to-model handoff remains intact');
   });
 
diff --git a/src/data/routeSegment.test.mjs b/src/data/routeSegment.test.mjs
index caa02c4ea..e48d4645d 100644
--- a/src/data/routeSegment.test.mjs
+++ b/src/data/routeSegment.test.mjs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import test from 'node:test';
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { routePlausible } from './routePlausible.js';
 import { createTracking } from '../layers/flights/tracking.js';
+import { addBillboard } from './billboardMirror.js';
 
 const SFO = { lat: 37.6188, lon: -122.3754, code: 'SFO' };
 const LAX = { lat: 33.9416, lon: -118.4085, code: 'LAX' };
@@ -156,8 +157,10 @@ test('the actual native tracked label hides the wrong leg and keeps a healthy ro
     });
     flightState._billboards.set(
       id,
-      collection.add({
+      addBillboard(collection, {
         id,
+        width: 20,
+        height: 20,
         position: Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(
           position.lon,
           position.lat,
diff --git a/src/data/tr3bRegistry.test.mjs b/src/data/tr3bRegistry.test.mjs
index 9ba8c25c2..654dce572 100644
--- a/src/data/tr3bRegistry.test.mjs
+++ b/src/data/tr3bRegistry.test.mjs
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ test('both flight layers keep a converted contact 2D and visible (render invaria
     // 2. The billboard is never hidden by that suppression — it must keep
     //    satisfying the getNearby/getDetectableObjects visibility guards, so a
     //    converted contact still works in Contacts and Cockpit.
-    assert.match(source, /if\s*\(\s*bb\s*&&\s*id\s*!==\s*(?:flightState\.)?_trackedIcao,?\s*\)\s*bb\.show\s*=\s*true;|if\s*\(\s*modelled\s*&&\s*id\s*!==\s*(?:flightState\.)?_trackedIcao,?\s*\)\s*modelled\.show\s*=\s*true;/,
+    assert.match(source, /if\s*\(\s*(bb|modelled)\s*&&\s*id\s*!==\s*(?:flightState\.)?_trackedIcao,?\s*\)\s*setBillboard\(\s*\1,\s*'show',\s*true,?\s*\);/,
       `${name}: converting restores the billboard the model handoff had hidden`);
 
     // 3. Every aircraftIcon() CALL SITE routes through the kind resolver, so no
diff --git a/src/data/trackedModelRegime.test.mjs b/src/data/trackedModelRegime.test.mjs
index 17fec219d..d30adb4e8 100644
--- a/src/data/trackedModelRegime.test.mjs
+++ b/src/data/trackedModelRegime.test.mjs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import militaryFlightsLayer, {
 } from './militaryFlights.js';
 import { clearTr3bRegistry, setTr3b } from './tr3bRegistry.js';
 import { reportMeshFloorCell, _clearMeshFloorCellsForTest } from './groundFloor.js';
+import { setBillboard } from './billboardMirror.js';
 
 // Sample altitudes are expressed RELATIVE to the band rather than as absolute
 // offsets. The thresholds have already been retuned once (1_000_000 → 150_000
@@ -351,7 +352,7 @@ for (const fixture of LAYERS) {
         onGround: true,
         models: [[icao24, model]],
       });
-      billboard.show = false;
+      setBillboard(billboard, 'show', false);
 
       let ownsVisual = fixture.driveFleetModel({ icao24, position, course: 92 });
       assert.equal(ownsVisual, false, 'cold terrain cannot transfer ownership to 3D');
@@ -487,7 +488,7 @@ for (const fixture of LAYERS) {
         onGround: true,
         models: [[icao24, model]],
       });
-      billboard.show = false;
+      setBillboard(billboard, 'show', false);
 
       const atA = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(A_LON, LAT, 0);
       const atB = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(B_LON, LAT, 0);
@@ -622,7 +623,7 @@ for (const fixture of LAYERS) {
         0,
         1e-6,
       ), 'a hidden tracked model cannot steal the detection anchor');
-      billboard.show = false; // tracking hides the fleet sprite; the tracked entity remains the 2D owner
+      setBillboard(billboard, 'show', false); // tracking hides the fleet sprite; the tracked entity remains the 2D owner
       const loadingNearby = fixture.layer.getNearby(billboard.position, 1_000, 50)
         .find((object) => object.icao24 === (fixture.name === 'flights' ? 'a0f001' : 'b0f001'));
       assert.ok(loadingNearby, 'the tracked contact remains in proximity while its model loads');
@@ -661,7 +662,7 @@ for (const fixture of LAYERS) {
 
       viewer.tileset.tilesLoaded = false;
       sampledHeight = undefined;
-      billboard.position = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-97.71, 30.21, -500);
+      setBillboard(billboard, 'position', Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-97.71, 30.21, -500));
       fixture.driveTrackedModel();
       assert.equal(model.show, true,
         'a successful cached snap survives a poll-time vertical datum change');
@@ -671,7 +672,7 @@ for (const fixture of LAYERS) {
       // Taxi past the resample threshold with the tiles gone: the tracked model
       // holds its last measured floor rather than handing the operator's own
       // selection back to a 2D glyph for a retry backoff.
-      billboard.position = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-97.709, 30.21, -500);
+      setBillboard(billboard, 'position', Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-97.709, 30.21, -500));
       fixture.driveTrackedModel();
       assert.equal(model.show, true,
         'a taxi-invalidated tracked snap is HELD through the resample outage');
@@ -680,7 +681,7 @@ for (const fixture of LAYERS) {
       assert.equal(sampleCalls, 1, 'the hold costs no extra synchronous sample');
 
       // Past the drift bound the memory is released and the gate takes over.
-      billboard.position = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-97.707, 30.21, -500);
+      setBillboard(billboard, 'position', Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-97.707, 30.21, -500));
       fixture.driveTrackedModel();
       assert.equal(model.show, false,
         'past HELD_SNAP_MAX_DRIFT_M the hold is released and the model is withheld');
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/enrichment.js b/src/layers/flights/enrichment.js
index aaf8ceb38..a3b2984a4 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/enrichment.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/enrichment.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   ENRICH_AMBIENT_REFILL_WINDOW_MS,
   ENRICH_AMBIENT_PER_SWEEP,
 } from './policy.js';
+import { billboardState } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createEnrichment({
   flightState,
@@ -199,11 +200,9 @@ export function createEnrichment({
         if (flightState._enrichSeen.has(`t:${icao24}`)) continue; // answered / queued / negative this session
         if (!/^[0-9a-f]{6}$/i.test(icao24)) continue; // adsbdb keys are 6-char hex only
         if (flightState.records.data.get(icao24)?.onGround) continue; // ground traffic never spends ambient budget (click-to-enrich still works)
-        if (!bb.position || !occluder.isPointVisible(bb.position)) continue; // beyond the limb
-        Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(
-          bb.position,
-          flightState._scratchModelBS.center,
-        );
+        const { position } = billboardState(bb);
+        if (!position || !occluder.isPointVisible(position)) continue; // beyond the limb
+        Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(position, flightState._scratchModelBS.center);
         if (
           cull.computeVisibility(flightState._scratchModelBS) ===
           Cesium.Intersect.OUTSIDE
@@ -211,7 +210,7 @@ export function createEnrichment({
           continue; // off-screen
         cand.push([
           icao24,
-          Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(camPos, bb.position),
+          Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(camPos, position),
         ]);
       }
       cand.sort((a, b) => a[1] - b[1]); // nearest first — what the user is looking at resolves first
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/evidence.js b/src/layers/flights/evidence.js
index 243fe9b9a..49407daff 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/evidence.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/evidence.js
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { aircraftIcon } from '../../data/aircraftIcons.js';
 import { FOCUS_EVIDENCE_DEV } from './policy.js';
+import {
+  addBillboard,
+  billboardState,
+  setBillboard,
+} from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createEvidence({
   flightState,
@@ -83,7 +88,7 @@ export function createEvidence({
       flightState.records.data.set(id, meta);
       flightState._cullPositions.delete(id);
       flightState._focusEvidenceIds.add(id);
-      const bb = flightState._billboardCollection.add({
+      const bb = addBillboard(flightState._billboardCollection, {
         position,
         image: aircraftIcon(parts.rendering._iconKind(id, klass)),
         width: 20,
@@ -119,7 +124,7 @@ export function createEvidence({
       const position = _focusEvidencePosition(record);
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(id);
       if (!position || !bb) continue;
-      bb.position = position;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'position', position);
       const meta = flightState.records.data.get(id);
       if (meta) {
         if (Number.isFinite(record.trackDeg)) meta.true_track = record.trackDeg;
@@ -139,23 +144,23 @@ export function createEvidence({
     if (!FOCUS_EVIDENCE_DEV || !flightState._viewer) return [];
     return [...flightState._focusEvidenceIds].map((id) => {
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(id);
-      const screen = bb?.position
+      const screen = billboardState(bb)?.position
         ? Cesium.SceneTransforms.worldToWindowCoordinates(
             flightState._viewer.scene,
-            bb.position,
+            billboardState(bb).position,
           )
         : null;
       return {
         id,
-        show: bb?.show === true,
-        scale: bb?.scale ?? null,
+        show: billboardState(bb)?.show === true,
+        scale: billboardState(bb)?.scale ?? null,
         alpha: bb?.color?.alpha ?? null,
         x: screen?.x ?? null,
         y: screen?.y ?? null,
-        cameraDistanceM: bb?.position
+        cameraDistanceM: billboardState(bb)?.position
           ? Cesium.Cartesian3.distance(
               flightState._viewer.camera.positionWC,
-              bb.position,
+              billboardState(bb).position,
             )
           : null,
       };
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/motion.js b/src/layers/flights/motion.js
index 87a0a402b..d4ae59845 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/motion.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/motion.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import {
   DISPLAY_CORRIDOR_CELL_BUDGET,
   DISPLAY_CORRIDOR_FAIR_SHARE,
 } from './policy.js';
+import { billboardState, setBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createMotion({
   flightState,
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ export function createMotion({
       if (newest)
         newest.position = Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(position, newest.position);
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
-      if (bb) bb.position = position;
+      if (bb) setBillboard(bb, 'position', position);
     }
   }
 
@@ -131,7 +132,9 @@ export function createMotion({
   function _deadReckon(icao24, result, sampledRenderTime) {
     const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
     if (FOCUS_EVIDENCE_DEV && flightState._focusEvidenceIds.has(icao24)) {
-      const position = flightState._billboards.get(icao24)?.position;
+      const position = billboardState(
+        flightState._billboards.get(icao24),
+      )?.position;
       flightState._drCourseDeg = info?.true_track || 0;
       flightState._drSpeedMps = info?.velocity || 0;
       flightState._drCourseHold =
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/queries.js b/src/layers/flights/queries.js
index 89b91f125..0cfad575e 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/queries.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/queries.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   FLEET_DR_INTERVAL_MS,
 } from './policy.js';
 import { emergencyBroadcastPhrase } from '../../data/aircraftEmergency.js';
+import { billboardState, setBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createQueries({
   flightState,
@@ -134,7 +135,8 @@ export function createQueries({
     const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
     const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
     const basePos =
-      parts.motion._deadReckon(icao24) || (bb ? bb.position : null);
+      parts.motion._deadReckon(icao24) ||
+      (bb ? billboardState(bb).position : null);
     if (!basePos) return null;
     const displayed = displayedKinematics({
       derivedSpeedMps: flightState._drSpeedMps,
@@ -336,7 +338,8 @@ export function createQueries({
           // here would double-image the tracked plane when 3D is turned off mid-track.
           if (flightState._billboardCollection)
             for (const [icao, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
-              if (icao !== flightState._trackedIcao) bb.show = true;
+              if (icao !== flightState._trackedIcao)
+                setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
             }
         }
       }
@@ -454,7 +457,8 @@ export function createQueries({
         // doesn't vanish on the 2D→3D handoff; bb.position stays current while hidden.
         const model = flightState._models.get(icao24) ?? null;
         const modelOwnsVisual = parts.rendering._modelOwnsVisual(icao24, model);
-        if (!isTracked && !bb.show && !modelOwnsVisual) continue;
+        if (!isTracked && !billboardState(bb).show && !modelOwnsVisual)
+          continue;
         const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
         let object = flightState._detectionObjects.get(icao24);
         if (!object) {
@@ -476,7 +480,7 @@ export function createQueries({
           ? parts.rendering._modelSpec(info?.klass)
           : null;
         const pos = isTracked
-          ? parts.motion._trackedVisualCached() || bb.position
+          ? parts.motion._trackedVisualCached() || billboardState(bb).position
           : modelOwnsVisual
             ? modelVisualAnchor(
                 model.modelMatrix,
@@ -486,7 +490,7 @@ export function createQueries({
                   : spec.scale,
                 object._weldPos || (object._weldPos = new Cesium.Cartesian3()),
               )
-            : bb.position;
+            : billboardState(bb).position;
         if (!pos) continue;
         object.position = pos;
         object.skipLabel = isTracked;
@@ -600,7 +604,7 @@ export function createQueries({
         if (
           !aircraftIncludedInNearby({
             isTracked,
-            billboardShown: bb.show,
+            billboardShown: billboardState(bb).show,
             modelRendering: parts.rendering._modelOwnsVisual(icao24),
             includeHidden,
           })
@@ -610,7 +614,7 @@ export function createQueries({
         const trackedPos = isTracked
           ? parts.motion._trackedDisplayCached()
           : null; // cached, no recompute (anti-jitter)
-        const pos = trackedPos || bb.position;
+        const pos = trackedPos || billboardState(bb).position;
         if (!pos) continue;
 
         const distance = Cesium.Cartesian3.distance(center, pos);
@@ -692,7 +696,7 @@ export function createQueries({
 
       const result = [];
       for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
-        const pos = bb.position;
+        const pos = billboardState(bb).position;
         if (!pos) continue;
         const carto = Cesium.Cartographic.fromCartesian(
           pos,
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/queries.test.mjs b/src/layers/flights/queries.test.mjs
index 13957d6cc..33eec2ed9 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/queries.test.mjs
+++ b/src/layers/flights/queries.test.mjs
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { createQueries } from './queries.js';
 import { createRendering } from './rendering.js';
+import {
+  billboardState,
+  mirrorBillboard,
+  setBillboard,
+} from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 function fixture() {
   const info = {
@@ -10,7 +15,10 @@ function fixture() {
     registration: ' N123 ',
     altitude: 1000,
   };
-  const bb = { show: true, position: new Cesium.Cartesian3(1, 2, 3) };
+  const bb = mirrorBillboard({
+    show: true,
+    position: new Cesium.Cartesian3(1, 2, 3),
+  });
   const flightState = {
     feed: {},
     _billboardCollection: { show: true },
@@ -48,9 +56,10 @@ test('candidate text follows in-place enrichment without freezing identity or po
   const [first] = f.queries.getDetectableObjects();
   assert.equal(first.id, 'TEST123');
   assert.equal(first.sourceId, 'abc123');
-  f.bb.position = new Cesium.Cartesian3(4, 5, 6);
+  setBillboard(f.bb, 'position', new Cesium.Cartesian3(4, 5, 6));
   assert.equal(f.queries.getDetectableObjects()[0], first);
-  assert.equal(first.position, f.bb.position);
+  assert.equal(first.position, billboardState(f.bb).position);
+  assert.deepEqual(first.position, new Cesium.Cartesian3(4, 5, 6));
   assert.equal(f.formats(), 1);
   f.info.callsign = ' NEW456 ';
   assert.equal(f.queries.getDetectableObjects()[0].id, 'NEW456');
@@ -97,7 +106,7 @@ test('candidate collection resolves models once and keeps handoffs live', (t) =>
     scale: 1,
   });
   f.flightState._models.set('abc123', model);
-  f.bb.show = false;
+  setBillboard(f.bb, 'show', false);
   assert.deepEqual(f.queries.getDetectableObjects(), []);
   model.ready = true;
   assert.equal(f.queries.getDetectableObjects()[0], candidate);
@@ -111,8 +120,11 @@ test('candidate collection resolves models once and keeps handoffs live', (t) =>
   assert.deepEqual(candidate.position, new Cesium.Cartesian3(40, 50, 60));
   model.show = false;
   assert.deepEqual(f.queries.getDetectableObjects(), []);
-  f.bb.show = true;
-  assert.equal(f.queries.getDetectableObjects()[0].position, f.bb.position);
+  setBillboard(f.bb, 'show', true);
+  assert.equal(
+    f.queries.getDetectableObjects()[0].position,
+    billboardState(f.bb).position,
+  );
   assert.equal(get.mock.callCount(), 6);
   model.show = true;
   assert.equal(f.parts.rendering._modelOwnsVisual('abc123'), true);
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/rendering.js b/src/layers/flights/rendering.js
index 147d730ad..a11060071 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/rendering.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/rendering.js
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import {
 } from './policy.js';
 import { AIRCRAFT_ENVIRONMENT_MAP_OPTIONS } from '../../data/aircraftModelLighting.js';
 import { aircraftVisuals } from '../aircraft/visualState.js';
+import { billboardState, setBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createRendering({
   flightState,
@@ -151,12 +152,12 @@ export function createRendering({
     if (isCockpitContact && !isCockpitNear) {
       const freshnessAlpha = cyberSonarBaseAlpha(bb);
       bb.image = cockpitContactDotImage();
-      bb.width = COCKPIT_CONTACT_SIZE_PX;
-      bb.height = COCKPIT_CONTACT_SIZE_PX;
-      bb.scale = limbScale;
-      bb.scaleByDistance = _cockpitBillboardScaleByDistance();
+      setBillboard(bb, 'width', COCKPIT_CONTACT_SIZE_PX);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'height', COCKPIT_CONTACT_SIZE_PX);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'scale', limbScale);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'scaleByDistance', _cockpitBillboardScaleByDistance());
       bb.color = _cockpitContactColor(icao24).withAlpha(freshnessAlpha);
-      bb.rotation = 0;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'rotation', 0);
       return;
     }
 
@@ -165,10 +166,14 @@ export function createRendering({
       _iconKind(icao24, meta?.klass),
       aircraftVisuals.read(bb)?.iconLarge ? TRACKED_ICON_PX : undefined,
     );
-    bb.width = icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao ? 24 : 20;
-    bb.height = icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao ? 24 : 20;
-    bb.scale = _fleetBillboardScale(icao24, meta?.klass) * limbScale;
-    bb.scaleByDistance = _normalBillboardScaleByDistance();
+    setBillboard(bb, 'width', icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao ? 24 : 20);
+    setBillboard(bb, 'height', icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao ? 24 : 20);
+    setBillboard(
+      bb,
+      'scale',
+      _fleetBillboardScale(icao24, meta?.klass) * limbScale,
+    );
+    setBillboard(bb, 'scaleByDistance', _normalBillboardScaleByDistance());
     bb.color = _fleetBillboardColor(icao24).withAlpha(cyberSonarBaseAlpha(bb));
   }
 
@@ -324,7 +329,7 @@ export function createRendering({
 
   function _driveFleetModelHandoff(icao24, model, bb, pos, course, beforeShow) {
     if (!model) {
-      bb.show = true;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       return false;
     }
     const displayPos = _modelDisplayPosition(
@@ -334,7 +339,7 @@ export function createRendering({
     );
     if (!displayPos) {
       model.show = false; // no ground evidence → nothing safe to place a depth-tested model at
-      bb.show = true;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       return false;
     }
     // The matrix is written BEFORE the readiness test on purpose: a model can flip
@@ -343,12 +348,12 @@ export function createRendering({
     _modelMatrix(displayPos, course, model.modelMatrix);
     if (!model.ready) {
       model.show = false; // not loaded yet → keep the 2D icon, no half-model flash
-      bb.show = true;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       return false;
     }
     beforeShow?.();
     if (!model.show) model.show = true;
-    if (bb.show) bb.show = false; // hand off ONLY once the model renders
+    if (billboardState(bb).show) setBillboard(bb, 'show', false); // hand off ONLY once the model renders
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -437,7 +442,8 @@ export function createRendering({
       (!current && flightState._modelPending.has(icao24))
     ) {
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
-      if (bb && icao24 !== flightState._trackedIcao) bb.show = true;
+      if (bb && icao24 !== flightState._trackedIcao)
+        setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       _releaseModel(icao24);
     }
     if (
@@ -472,7 +478,8 @@ export function createRendering({
       )
         continue; // already right state
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao);
-      if (bb && icao !== flightState._trackedIcao) bb.show = true;
+      if (bb && icao !== flightState._trackedIcao)
+        setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       _releaseModel(icao);
     }
     if (flightState._irReloadQueue.length === 0)
@@ -699,7 +706,8 @@ export function createRendering({
     // readout consumers then reuse that exact cached position.
     const pos =
       parts.motion._trackedDisplayPosition(flightState._trackedIcao) ||
-      flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao)?.position;
+      billboardState(flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao))
+        ?.position;
     if (!pos) {
       if (flightState._trackedModel) flightState._trackedModel.show = false;
       return;
@@ -777,7 +785,9 @@ export function createRendering({
           // default here produces a one-frame jump to the Earth's center.
           const currentPos =
             parts.motion._trackedDisplayCached() ||
-            flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao)?.position;
+            billboardState(
+              flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao),
+            )?.position;
           if (currentPos) {
             const displayPos = _modelDisplayPosition(
               flightState._trackedIcao,
@@ -938,12 +948,10 @@ export function createRendering({
         // ground or in the air — no distinction"). The cap + nearest-first ordering
         // below already bound airport clusters; grounded placement is handled by the
         // one-shot ground snap in _modelDisplayPosition.
-        const d2 = Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(camPos, bb.position);
+        const { position } = billboardState(bb);
+        const d2 = Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(camPos, position);
         if (d2 > keepDistSq) continue; // beyond the keep radius → never eligible
-        Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(
-          bb.position,
-          flightState._scratchModelBS.center,
-        );
+        Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(position, flightState._scratchModelBS.center);
         cand.push([
           icao,
           d2,
@@ -973,6 +981,7 @@ export function createRendering({
 
     for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
       if (icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao) continue; // tracked entity owns its own motion
+      const icon = billboardState(bb);
 
       const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
 
@@ -996,9 +1005,9 @@ export function createRendering({
       // collection's vertex buffer, so skip sub-meter moves.
       if (
         display &&
-        Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(display, bb.position) > 1.0
+        Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(display, icon.position) > 1.0
       ) {
-        bb.position = display;
+        setBillboard(bb, 'position', display);
       }
 
       // Round 6: occlusion-test a LIFTED point for contacts rendering below
@@ -1007,15 +1016,15 @@ export function createRendering({
       // pass would hide a plane that is really just low over high-N terrain
       // waiting for its floor to warm (ATL grounded contacts at geoid −31 m).
       const beyondHorizon = !occluder.isPointVisible(
-        flightState._cullPositions.get(icao24) || bb.position,
+        flightState._cullPositions.get(icao24) || icon.position,
       );
       // A billboard flipping INTO view (horizon reveal while the camera idles)
       // gets its rotation refreshed THIS tick even without a pose change —
       // otherwise it reappears wearing its stale (often creation-north) nose for
       // up to ROTATION_REFRESH_MS. (Model-handed-off planes also read show=false
       // here; harmless — the model branch below `continue`s past the rotation.)
-      const revealed = !beyondHorizon && !bb.show;
-      if (bb.show === beyondHorizon) bb.show = !beyondHorizon;
+      const revealed = !beyondHorizon && !icon.show;
+      if (icon.show === beyondHorizon) setBillboard(bb, 'show', !beyondHorizon);
       if (beyondHorizon) {
         // Also hide any 3D model — otherwise a model that crossed the limb would keep
         // rendering through the hidden globe at its last matrix.
@@ -1031,22 +1040,22 @@ export function createRendering({
       // alpha; nearer focus behavior remains tunable rather than universal.
       const cameraDistanceM = Cesium.Cartesian3.distance(
         camera.positionWC,
-        bb.position,
+        icon.position,
       );
       const distanceScale = nearFarScalarValueAtDistance(
-        bb.scaleByDistance,
+        icon.scaleByDistance,
         cameraDistanceM,
       );
       const focus = advanceProjectedSpriteFocus(
         bb,
-        bb.position,
+        icon.position,
         scene,
         camera,
         nowMs,
         focusTarget,
         undefined,
-        (bb.width || 20) * (bb.scale || 1) * distanceScale * 0.5,
-        (bb.height || 20) * (bb.scale || 1) * distanceScale * 0.5,
+        (icon.width || 20) * (icon.scale || 1) * distanceScale * 0.5,
+        (icon.height || 20) * (icon.scale || 1) * distanceScale * 0.5,
       );
       const isCockpitNear =
         flightState._cockpitContactMode &&
@@ -1077,8 +1086,8 @@ export function createRendering({
       // hysteresis so zoom oscillation never thrashes the atlas.
       if (!flightState._cockpitContactMode || isCockpitNear) {
         const glyphDevPx =
-          (bb.width || 20) *
-          (bb.scale || 1) *
+          (icon.width || 20) *
+          (icon.scale || 1) *
           distanceScale *
           (globalThis.devicePixelRatio || 1);
         const visual = aircraftVisuals.write(bb);
@@ -1160,12 +1169,12 @@ export function createRendering({
       ) {
         const rot = screenProjectedRotation(
           scene,
-          bb.position,
+          icon.position,
           course,
-          bb.rotation,
+          icon.rotation,
         );
-        if (rot !== null && Math.abs(rot - bb.rotation) > 0.002) {
-          bb.rotation = rot;
+        if (rot !== null && Math.abs(rot - icon.rotation) > 0.002) {
+          setBillboard(bb, 'rotation', rot);
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/snapshotRenderer.js b/src/layers/flights/snapshotRenderer.js
index ec6c2933b..2fa013a48 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/snapshotRenderer.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/snapshotRenderer.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../data/motionModel.js';
 import { aircraftIcon } from '../../data/aircraftIcons.js';
 import { POSITION_HISTORY_LIMIT } from './recordPolicy.js';
+import { addBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 /** Apply reconciled aircraft records to Cesium resources and follow state. */
 export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
@@ -195,7 +196,7 @@ export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
               rendering._modelOwnsVisual(icao24),
             )) ||
           position;
-        const bb = flightState._billboardCollection.add({
+        const bb = addBillboard(flightState._billboardCollection, {
           position: displayed,
           image: aircraftIcon(rendering._iconKind(icao24, meta.klass)),
           width: isTracked ? 24 : 20,
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/testing.js b/src/layers/flights/testing.js
index ccb109ae1..df54b7c9d 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/testing.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/testing.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { CYAN_TRANSPARENT } from './policy.js';
+import { mirrorBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createTesting({
   flightState,
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ export function createTesting({
     flightState._viewer = viewer;
     flightState._modelCollection = modelCollection;
     flightState._billboardCollection = billboardCollection;
-    flightState._billboards = new Map([[icao24, billboard]]);
+    flightState._billboards = new Map([[icao24, mirrorBillboard(billboard)]]);
     flightState._cullPositions.clear();
     flightState._models.clear();
     for (const [key, model] of models) flightState._models.set(key, model);
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ export function createTesting({
     billboard,
     history = [],
   }) {
-    flightState._billboards.set(icao24, billboard);
+    flightState._billboards.set(icao24, mirrorBillboard(billboard));
     flightState.records.data.set(icao24, meta);
     flightState._positionHistory.set(icao24, history);
   }
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/tracking.js b/src/layers/flights/tracking.js
index 064fce011..9969ad88e 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/tracking.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/tracking.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {
 } from './policy.js';
 import { roundHeadingDegrees } from '../../data/headingDegrees.js';
 import { entityRecord, readEntityRecord } from '../../data/entityRecords.js';
+import { billboardState, setBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createTracking({
   flightState,
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ export function createTracking({
   function _publishTrackedSelection(icao24, origin = 'programmatic') {
     const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
     const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
-    if (!bb?.position || !info) return false;
+    if (!billboardState(bb)?.position || !info) return false;
     if (flightState._trackedEntity)
       entityRecord(flightState._trackedEntity).selectionOrigin = origin;
     _emitAwarenessEvent('gev:awareness-subject-selected', {
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ export function createTracking({
       // a callsign-less contact reached Context as its raw hex even once adsbdb
       // had supplied a registration. Identity below stays `icao24`.
       label: parts.queries._contactLabel(icao24, info),
-      position: Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(bb.position),
+      position: Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(billboardState(bb).position),
       origin,
     });
     selectTrackedSubjectContext(_contextSubjectMetadata(icao24));
@@ -162,12 +163,13 @@ export function createTracking({
     const previous = flightState._cockpitNearContacts;
     const distancesSquared = [];
     for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
-      if (icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao || !bb?.position) continue;
+      const position = billboardState(bb)?.position;
+      if (icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao || !position) continue;
       distancesSquared.push([
         icao24,
         Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(
           flightState._viewer.camera.positionWC,
-          bb.position,
+          position,
         ),
       ]);
     }
@@ -316,7 +318,8 @@ export function createTracking({
     if (!flightState._trackedIcao || !flightState._viewer) return;
     const pos =
       parts.motion._trackedDisplayCached() ||
-      flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao)?.position;
+      billboardState(flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao))
+        ?.position;
     if (!pos) return;
     const projected = screenProjectedRotation(
       flightState._viewer.scene,
@@ -642,17 +645,21 @@ export function createTracking({
     // ROTATION_REFRESH_MS of a wrong (possibly reversed) nose on release.
     if (flightState._billboards.has(flightState._trackedIcao)) {
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao);
-      bb.show = true;
-      bb.width = 20;
-      bb.height = 20;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'width', 20);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'height', 20);
       // Ground/military-aware restore (a plane untracked while taxiing must come
       // back muted-gray at ground scale, not white at full scale).
       bb.color = parts.rendering._fleetBillboardColor(flightState._trackedIcao);
-      bb.scale = parts.rendering._fleetBillboardScale(
-        flightState._trackedIcao,
-        flightState.records.data.get(flightState._trackedIcao)?.klass,
+      setBillboard(
+        bb,
+        'scale',
+        parts.rendering._fleetBillboardScale(
+          flightState._trackedIcao,
+          flightState.records.data.get(flightState._trackedIcao)?.klass,
+        ),
       );
-      bb.rotation = flightState._lastTrackedRotation;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'rotation', flightState._lastTrackedRotation);
     }
     flightState._lastCamPoseSig = ''; // force a fleet rotation pass on the next tick
 
@@ -830,7 +837,7 @@ export function createTracking({
       if (flightState._models.has(id) || flightState._modelPending.has(id))
         parts.rendering._releaseModel(id);
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(id);
-      if (bb && id !== flightState._trackedIcao) bb.show = true; // horizon cull re-asserts next tick
+      if (bb && id !== flightState._trackedIcao) setBillboard(bb, 'show', true); // horizon cull re-asserts next tick
       if (id === flightState._trackedIcao) {
         parts.rendering._releaseTrackedModel();
         _syncTracked2dRotation();
@@ -862,9 +869,9 @@ export function createTracking({
   function _routeIsPlausible(icao24, route) {
     const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
     const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
-    if (!info || !bb || !bb.position) return true;
+    if (!info || !bb || !billboardState(bb).position) return true;
     const carto = Cesium.Cartographic.fromCartesian(
-      bb.position,
+      billboardState(bb).position,
       Cesium.Ellipsoid.WGS84,
       flightState._scratchCarto,
     );
@@ -906,21 +913,22 @@ export function createTracking({
     flightState._trackedIcao = icao24;
     _resetTrackedSelectionState(); // fresh selection: enter at the ENTER ceiling, full load-retry budget
     flightState._cachedDRFrame = -1;
-    flightState._lastTrackedRotation = bb.rotation || 0;
+    flightState._lastTrackedRotation = billboardState(bb).rotation || 0;
     // Drop any fleet 3D model for this aircraft — the tracked entity now owns its visual (its
     // own billboard + model graphic), and the fleet tick skips the tracked icao, so a leftover
     // fleet model would be orphaned + double-rendered.
     parts.rendering._releaseModel(icao24);
 
     // Hide the billboard — the tracked entity replaces it visually
-    bb.show = false;
+    setBillboard(bb, 'show', false);
 
     // Helper: smoothed, per-frame-cached tracked position (see _trackedDisplayPosition —
     // one computation shared by the position/alignedAxis/rotation/trail-head callbacks,
     // with discontinuity reconciliation). Falls back to the last billboard position when
     // the aircraft has no fix.
     const getTrackedPosition = () =>
-      parts.motion._trackedDisplayPosition(icao24) || bb.position;
+      parts.motion._trackedDisplayPosition(icao24) ||
+      billboardState(bb).position;
 
     // Dead-reckoning position property — smooth continuous motion between API updates.
     const positionProperty = new Cesium.CallbackProperty(() => {
diff --git a/src/layers/military/queries.js b/src/layers/military/queries.js
index d23ad621a..db357a87f 100644
--- a/src/layers/military/queries.js
+++ b/src/layers/military/queries.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../data/contactMatch.js';
 import { LANDED_ALT_MAX_FT, LANDED_SPEED_MAX_MPS } from './policy.js';
 import { emergencyBroadcastPhrase } from '../../data/aircraftEmergency.js';
+import { billboardState, setBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createQueries({
   flightState,
@@ -96,7 +97,8 @@ export function createQueries({
     const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
     const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
     const basePos =
-      parts.motion._deadReckon(icao24) || (bb ? bb.position : null);
+      parts.motion._deadReckon(icao24) ||
+      (bb ? billboardState(bb).position : null);
     if (!basePos) return null;
     const displayed = displayedKinematics({
       derivedSpeedMps: flightState._drSpeedMps,
@@ -272,7 +274,8 @@ export function createQueries({
           // plane's own fleet billboard — its tracked entity is the visual (avoids a double-image).
           if (flightState._billboardCollection)
             for (const [icao, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
-              if (icao !== flightState._trackedIcao) bb.show = true;
+              if (icao !== flightState._trackedIcao)
+                setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
             }
         }
       }
@@ -375,7 +378,7 @@ export function createQueries({
         if (
           !aircraftIncludedInNearby({
             isTracked,
-            billboardShown: bb.show,
+            billboardShown: billboardState(bb).show,
             modelRendering: parts.rendering._modelOwnsVisual(icao24),
             includeHidden,
           })
@@ -385,7 +388,7 @@ export function createQueries({
         const trackedPos = isTracked
           ? parts.motion._trackedDisplayCached()
           : null; // cached, no recompute (anti-jitter)
-        const pos = trackedPos || bb.position;
+        const pos = trackedPos || billboardState(bb).position;
         if (!pos) continue;
 
         const distance = Cesium.Cartesian3.distance(center, pos);
@@ -462,7 +465,8 @@ export function createQueries({
         // doesn't vanish on the 2D→3D handoff; bb.position stays current while hidden.
         const model = flightState._models.get(icao24);
         const modelOwnsVisual = parts.rendering._modelOwnsVisual(icao24);
-        if (!isTracked && !bb.show && !modelOwnsVisual) continue;
+        if (!isTracked && !billboardState(bb).show && !modelOwnsVisual)
+          continue;
         const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
         const callsign = info?.callsign?.trim();
         const registration = info?.registration?.trim();
@@ -484,7 +488,7 @@ export function createQueries({
           ? parts.rendering._modelSpec(info?.klass)
           : null;
         const pos = isTracked
-          ? parts.motion._trackedVisualCached() || bb.position
+          ? parts.motion._trackedVisualCached() || billboardState(bb).position
           : modelOwnsVisual
             ? modelVisualAnchor(
                 model.modelMatrix,
@@ -494,7 +498,7 @@ export function createQueries({
                   : spec.scale,
                 object._weldPos || (object._weldPos = new Cesium.Cartesian3()),
               )
-            : bb.position;
+            : billboardState(bb).position;
         if (!pos) continue;
         object.position = pos;
         object.skipLabel = isTracked;
@@ -616,7 +620,7 @@ export function createQueries({
 
       const result = [];
       for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
-        const pos = bb.position;
+        const pos = billboardState(bb).position;
         if (!pos) continue;
         const carto = Cesium.Cartographic.fromCartesian(
           pos,
diff --git a/src/layers/military/rendering.js b/src/layers/military/rendering.js
index f65103887..128719630 100644
--- a/src/layers/military/rendering.js
+++ b/src/layers/military/rendering.js
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ import {
 } from './policy.js';
 import { AIRCRAFT_ENVIRONMENT_MAP_OPTIONS } from '../../data/aircraftModelLighting.js';
 import { aircraftVisuals } from '../aircraft/visualState.js';
+import { billboardState, setBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createRendering({
   flightState,
@@ -159,12 +160,12 @@ export function createRendering({
     if (isCockpitContact && !isCockpitNear) {
       const freshnessAlpha = cyberSonarBaseAlpha(bb);
       bb.image = cockpitContactDotImage();
-      bb.width = COCKPIT_CONTACT_SIZE_PX;
-      bb.height = COCKPIT_CONTACT_SIZE_PX;
-      bb.scale = limbScale;
-      bb.scaleByDistance = _cockpitBillboardScaleByDistance();
+      setBillboard(bb, 'width', COCKPIT_CONTACT_SIZE_PX);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'height', COCKPIT_CONTACT_SIZE_PX);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'scale', limbScale);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'scaleByDistance', _cockpitBillboardScaleByDistance());
       bb.color = _fleetBillboardColor(icao24).withAlpha(freshnessAlpha);
-      bb.rotation = 0;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'rotation', 0);
       return;
     }
 
@@ -173,10 +174,10 @@ export function createRendering({
       _iconKind(icao24, meta?.klass),
       aircraftVisuals.read(bb)?.iconLarge ? TRACKED_ICON_PX : undefined,
     );
-    bb.width = icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao ? 24 : 20;
-    bb.height = icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao ? 24 : 20;
-    bb.scale = _militaryBillboardScale(icao24) * limbScale;
-    bb.scaleByDistance = _normalBillboardScaleByDistance();
+    setBillboard(bb, 'width', icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao ? 24 : 20);
+    setBillboard(bb, 'height', icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao ? 24 : 20);
+    setBillboard(bb, 'scale', _militaryBillboardScale(icao24) * limbScale);
+    setBillboard(bb, 'scaleByDistance', _normalBillboardScaleByDistance());
     bb.color = _fleetBillboardColor(icao24, meta).withAlpha(
       cyberSonarBaseAlpha(bb),
     );
@@ -330,7 +331,7 @@ export function createRendering({
 
   function _driveFleetModelHandoff(icao24, model, bb, pos, course, beforeShow) {
     if (!model) {
-      bb.show = true;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       return false;
     }
     const displayPos = _modelDisplayPosition(
@@ -340,7 +341,7 @@ export function createRendering({
     );
     if (!displayPos) {
       model.show = false; // no ground evidence → nothing safe to place a depth-tested model at
-      bb.show = true;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       return false;
     }
     // The matrix is written BEFORE the readiness test on purpose: a model can flip
@@ -354,12 +355,12 @@ export function createRendering({
     );
     if (!model.ready) {
       model.show = false; // not loaded yet → keep the 2D icon, no half-model flash
-      bb.show = true;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       return false;
     }
     beforeShow?.();
     if (!model.show) model.show = true;
-    if (bb.show) bb.show = false; // hand off ONLY once the model renders
+    if (billboardState(bb).show) setBillboard(bb, 'show', false); // hand off ONLY once the model renders
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -405,7 +406,8 @@ export function createRendering({
       (!current && flightState._modelPending.has(icao24))
     ) {
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
-      if (bb && icao24 !== flightState._trackedIcao) bb.show = true;
+      if (bb && icao24 !== flightState._trackedIcao)
+        setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       _releaseModel(icao24);
     }
     if (
@@ -440,7 +442,8 @@ export function createRendering({
       )
         continue; // already right state
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao);
-      if (bb && icao !== flightState._trackedIcao) bb.show = true;
+      if (bb && icao !== flightState._trackedIcao)
+        setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
       _releaseModel(icao);
     }
     if (flightState._irReloadQueue.length === 0)
@@ -662,7 +665,8 @@ export function createRendering({
     // readout consumers then reuse that exact cached position.
     const pos =
       parts.motion._trackedDisplayPosition(flightState._trackedIcao) ||
-      flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao)?.position;
+      billboardState(flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao))
+        ?.position;
     if (!pos) {
       if (flightState._trackedModel) flightState._trackedModel.show = false;
       return;
@@ -738,7 +742,9 @@ export function createRendering({
           // default here produces a one-frame jump to the Earth's center.
           const currentPos =
             parts.motion._trackedDisplayCached() ||
-            flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao)?.position;
+            billboardState(
+              flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao),
+            )?.position;
           if (currentPos) {
             const displayPos = _modelDisplayPosition(
               flightState._trackedIcao,
@@ -897,12 +903,10 @@ export function createRendering({
         // Ground planes compete for model slots like everyone else (owner decision
         // 2026-07-03, mirror of flights.js — no air/ground distinction; grounded
         // placement is handled by the one-shot ground snap in _modelDisplayPosition).
-        const d2 = Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(camPos, bb.position);
+        const { position } = billboardState(bb);
+        const d2 = Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(camPos, position);
         if (d2 > keepDistSq) continue; // beyond keep radius → never eligible
-        Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(
-          bb.position,
-          flightState._scratchModelBS.center,
-        );
+        Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(position, flightState._scratchModelBS.center);
         cand.push([
           icao,
           d2,
@@ -932,27 +936,28 @@ export function createRendering({
 
     for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
       if (icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao) continue; // tracked entity owns its own motion
+      const icon = billboardState(bb);
 
       const dr = parts.motion._deadReckon(icao24, flightState._scratchFleetPos);
       // Gate the write — assigning Billboard.position dirties the whole
       // collection's vertex buffer, so skip sub-meter moves.
-      if (dr && Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(dr, bb.position) > 1.0) {
-        bb.position = dr;
+      if (dr && Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(dr, icon.position) > 1.0) {
+        setBillboard(bb, 'position', dr);
       }
 
       // Round 6: occlusion-test a LIFTED point for contacts at/below the
       // ellipsoid (mirror of flights.js — sub-ellipsoid points near the limb
       // read "beyond the horizon" and would hide low contacts awaiting floors).
       const beyondHorizon = !occluder.isPointVisible(
-        flightState.records.data.get(icao24)?.cullPosition || bb.position,
+        flightState.records.data.get(icao24)?.cullPosition || icon.position,
       );
       // A billboard flipping INTO view (horizon reveal while the camera idles)
       // gets its rotation refreshed THIS tick even without a pose change —
       // otherwise it reappears wearing its stale (often creation-north) nose for
       // up to ROTATION_REFRESH_MS. (Model-handed-off planes also read show=false
       // here; harmless — the model branch below `continue`s past the rotation.)
-      const revealed = !beyondHorizon && !bb.show;
-      if (bb.show === beyondHorizon) bb.show = !beyondHorizon;
+      const revealed = !beyondHorizon && !icon.show;
+      if (icon.show === beyondHorizon) setBillboard(bb, 'show', !beyondHorizon);
       if (beyondHorizon) {
         // Also hide any 3D model — otherwise a model that crossed the limb would keep
         // rendering through the hidden globe at its last matrix.
@@ -968,22 +973,22 @@ export function createRendering({
       // untouched and multiplicative; there is no cull or zero-alpha path.
       const cameraDistanceM = Cesium.Cartesian3.distance(
         camera.positionWC,
-        bb.position,
+        icon.position,
       );
       const distanceScale = nearFarScalarValueAtDistance(
-        bb.scaleByDistance,
+        icon.scaleByDistance,
         cameraDistanceM,
       );
       const focus = advanceProjectedSpriteFocus(
         bb,
-        bb.position,
+        icon.position,
         scene,
         camera,
         nowMs,
         focusTarget,
         undefined,
-        (bb.width || 20) * (bb.scale || 1) * distanceScale * 0.5,
-        (bb.height || 20) * (bb.scale || 1) * distanceScale * 0.5,
+        (icon.width || 20) * (icon.scale || 1) * distanceScale * 0.5,
+        (icon.height || 20) * (icon.scale || 1) * distanceScale * 0.5,
       );
       const isCockpitNear =
         flightState._cockpitContactMode &&
@@ -1007,8 +1012,8 @@ export function createRendering({
       // focus/limb recession counts) with hysteresis (atlas has no mips).
       if (!flightState._cockpitContactMode || isCockpitNear) {
         const glyphDevPx =
-          (bb.width || 20) *
-          (bb.scale || 1) *
+          (icon.width || 20) *
+          (icon.scale || 1) *
           distanceScale *
           (globalThis.devicePixelRatio || 1);
         const visual = aircraftVisuals.write(bb);
@@ -1087,12 +1092,12 @@ export function createRendering({
       ) {
         const rot = screenProjectedRotation(
           scene,
-          bb.position,
+          icon.position,
           course,
-          bb.rotation,
+          icon.rotation,
         );
-        if (rot !== null && Math.abs(rot - bb.rotation) > 0.002) {
-          bb.rotation = rot;
+        if (rot !== null && Math.abs(rot - icon.rotation) > 0.002) {
+          setBillboard(bb, 'rotation', rot);
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/layers/military/snapshotRenderer.js b/src/layers/military/snapshotRenderer.js
index 7ed2b1c1f..547359559 100644
--- a/src/layers/military/snapshotRenderer.js
+++ b/src/layers/military/snapshotRenderer.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
 import { aircraftIcon } from '../../data/aircraftIcons.js';
 import { POSITION_HISTORY_LIMIT } from './recordPolicy.js';
 import { BILLBOARD_SCALE, GROUND_SCALE, TRACKED_ICON_COLOR } from './policy.js';
+import { addBillboard, setBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 /** Apply military record changes to Cesium resources and existing follow operations. */
 export function createMilitarySnapshotRenderer({
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ export function createMilitarySnapshotRenderer({
         // it ahead until the next fleet tick snapped it back.
         const displayed =
           motion._deadReckon(icao24, new Cesium.Cartesian3()) || position;
-        const bb = flightState._billboardCollection.add({
+        const bb = addBillboard(flightState._billboardCollection, {
           position: displayed,
           image: aircraftIcon(rendering._iconKind(icao24, meta.klass)),
           width: isTracked ? 24 : 20,
@@ -226,7 +227,7 @@ export function createMilitarySnapshotRenderer({
       if (newest)
         newest.position = Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(liftedPos, newest.position);
       const bbStale = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
-      if (bbStale) bbStale.position = liftedPos;
+      if (bbStale) setBillboard(bbStale, 'position', liftedPos);
     }
     // Round 4: sample the RENDERED mesh for those cells (one-shot per cell,
     // budget-capped, viewer-proximate, google-3d regime only), excluding
diff --git a/src/layers/military/testing.js b/src/layers/military/testing.js
index 15ab14050..fa43ed0fc 100644
--- a/src/layers/military/testing.js
+++ b/src/layers/military/testing.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { AMBER_TRANSPARENT, TRACKED_ICON_COLOR } from './policy.js';
+import { mirrorBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createTesting({
   flightState,
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ export function createTesting({
     flightState._viewer = viewer;
     flightState._modelCollection = modelCollection;
     flightState._billboardCollection = billboardCollection;
-    flightState._billboards = new Map([[icao24, billboard]]);
+    flightState._billboards = new Map([[icao24, mirrorBillboard(billboard)]]);
     flightState._cullPositions.clear();
     flightState._models.clear();
     for (const [key, model] of models) flightState._models.set(key, model);
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ export function createTesting({
     billboard,
     history = [],
   }) {
-    flightState._billboards.set(icao24, billboard);
+    flightState._billboards.set(icao24, mirrorBillboard(billboard));
     flightState.records.data.set(icao24, meta);
     flightState._positionHistory.set(icao24, history);
   }
diff --git a/src/layers/military/tracking.js b/src/layers/military/tracking.js
index 16252caca..7000950ad 100644
--- a/src/layers/military/tracking.js
+++ b/src/layers/military/tracking.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
 } from './policy.js';
 import { roundHeadingDegrees } from '../../data/headingDegrees.js';
 import { entityRecord, readEntityRecord } from '../../data/entityRecords.js';
+import { billboardState, setBillboard } from '../../data/billboardMirror.js';
 
 export function createTracking({
   flightState,
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ export function createTracking({
   function _publishTrackedSelection(icao24, origin = 'programmatic') {
     const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
     const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
-    if (!bb?.position || !info) return false;
+    if (!billboardState(bb)?.position || !info) return false;
     if (flightState._trackedEntity)
       entityRecord(flightState._trackedEntity).selectionOrigin = origin;
     _emitAwarenessEvent('gev:awareness-subject-selected', {
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ export function createTracking({
         parts.queries._toCleanText(info.callsign) ||
         parts.queries._toCleanText(info.registration) ||
         icao24,
-      position: Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(bb.position),
+      position: Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(billboardState(bb).position),
       origin,
     });
     selectTrackedSubjectContext(_contextSubjectMetadata(icao24));
@@ -151,12 +152,13 @@ export function createTracking({
     const previous = flightState._cockpitNearContacts;
     const distancesSquared = [];
     for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
-      if (icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao || !bb?.position) continue;
+      const position = billboardState(bb)?.position;
+      if (icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao || !position) continue;
       distancesSquared.push([
         icao24,
         Cesium.Cartesian3.distanceSquared(
           flightState._viewer.camera.positionWC,
-          bb.position,
+          position,
         ),
       ]);
     }
@@ -295,7 +297,8 @@ export function createTracking({
       if (flightState._models.has(id) || flightState._modelPending.has(id))
         parts.rendering._releaseModel(id);
       const modelled = flightState._billboards.get(id);
-      if (modelled && id !== flightState._trackedIcao) modelled.show = true; // horizon cull re-asserts next tick
+      if (modelled && id !== flightState._trackedIcao)
+        setBillboard(modelled, 'show', true); // horizon cull re-asserts next tick
       if (id === flightState._trackedIcao) {
         parts.rendering._releaseTrackedModel();
         _syncTracked2dRotation();
@@ -411,7 +414,8 @@ export function createTracking({
     if (!flightState._trackedIcao || !flightState._viewer) return;
     const pos =
       parts.motion._trackedDisplayCached() ||
-      flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao)?.position;
+      billboardState(flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao))
+        ?.position;
     if (!pos) return;
     const projected = screenProjectedRotation(
       flightState._viewer.scene,
@@ -780,21 +784,24 @@ export function createTracking({
     if (flightState._billboards.has(flightState._trackedIcao)) {
       const bb = flightState._billboards.get(flightState._trackedIcao);
       const meta = flightState.records.data.get(flightState._trackedIcao);
-      bb.show = true;
-      bb.width = 20;
-      bb.height = 20;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'show', true);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'width', 20);
+      setBillboard(bb, 'height', 20);
       // Ground-aware restore (a plane untracked while taxiing comes back at
       // ground scale; the fleet tint is amber, or red while broadcasting an
       // emergency, on the ground and in the air).
-      bb.scale =
+      setBillboard(
+        bb,
+        'scale',
         BILLBOARD_SCALE *
-        (CLASS_SCALE_2D[meta?.klass] || 1) *
-        (meta?.onGround ? GROUND_SCALE : 1);
+          (CLASS_SCALE_2D[meta?.klass] || 1) *
+          (meta?.onGround ? GROUND_SCALE : 1),
+      );
       bb.color = parts.rendering._fleetBillboardColor(
         flightState._trackedIcao,
         meta,
       );
-      bb.rotation = flightState._lastTrackedRotation;
+      setBillboard(bb, 'rotation', flightState._lastTrackedRotation);
     }
     flightState._lastCamPoseSig = ''; // force a fleet rotation pass on the next tick
 
@@ -869,21 +876,22 @@ export function createTracking({
     flightState._trackedIcao = icao24;
     _resetTrackedSelectionState(); // fresh selection: enter at the ENTER ceiling, full load-retry budget
     flightState._cachedDRFrame = -1;
-    flightState._lastTrackedRotation = bb.rotation || 0;
+    flightState._lastTrackedRotation = billboardState(bb).rotation || 0;
     // Drop any fleet 3D model for this aircraft — the tracked entity now owns its visual (its
     // own billboard + model graphic), and the fleet tick skips the tracked icao, so a leftover
     // fleet model would be orphaned + double-rendered.
     parts.rendering._releaseModel(icao24);
 
     // Hide the billboard -- the tracked entity replaces it visually
-    bb.show = false;
+    setBillboard(bb, 'show', false);
 
     // Helper: smoothed, per-frame-cached tracked position (see _trackedDisplayPosition —
     // one computation shared by the position/rotation/trail-head callbacks, with
     // discontinuity reconciliation). Falls back to the last billboard position when the
     // aircraft has no fix.
     const getTrackedPosition = () =>
-      parts.motion._trackedDisplayPosition(icao24) || bb.position;
+      parts.motion._trackedDisplayPosition(icao24) ||
+      billboardState(bb).position;
 
     // Dead-reckoning position property evaluated every render frame.
     // isConstant = false so CesiumJS re-evaluates each frame.