Aviation Research:

Progress Has Been Made but Several Factors Will Affect Program Success

T-RCED-92-39: Published: Mar 10, 1992. Publicly Released: Mar 10, 1992.

Additional Materials:

Contact:

Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
youngc1@gao.gov

GAO discussed the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Research, Engineering, and Development (RE&D) Program, focusing on FAA progress in: (1) responding to the Aviation Safety Research Act of 1988; (2) conducting long-term research; and (3) developing a RE&D plan. GAO noted that: (1) as mandated by the act, FAA has expanded research in aircraft structures, human factors, and simulation modeling of the air traffic control system, and has developed a draft RE&D plan; (2) FAA has not included resource estimates for future research efforts or delineated specific long-term projects as the act required; (3) in 1989 and 1990, FAA met the congressional requirement that it allocate at least 15 percent of its RE&D funds to long-term research and estimated that 41 percent of fiscal year 1991 obligations were for long-term research; and (4) it was difficult for FAA to estimate its total RE&D efforts, since it did not track the amount of long-term research underway in its program and some research was funded by other sources. GAO also noted that FAA ability to achieve RE&D goals will depend on its success in: (1) incorporating RE&D goals into other programs; (2) utilizing research conducted by other federal agencies and private organizations; (3) integrating various technologies to address existing and future capacity, security, and safety concerns; and (4) incorporating human factors into all research.

Jul 21, 2016

Jun 23, 2016

May 12, 2016

Apr 14, 2016

Mar 4, 2016

Oct 30, 2015

Sep 9, 2015

Aug 17, 2015

Jul 9, 2015

Apr 27, 2015

Looking for more? Browse all our products here