Remote Radar for Yakima

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the cost advantages and safety impacts of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) decision to remote the signal from a planned radar installation in Yakima, Washington, to an existing terminal radar control (TRACON) facility located in Pasco, Washington. GAO noted that: (1) FAA cost analyses consistently demonstrated that remoting the radar signal to an expanded facility was more cost-effective than constructing a new TRACON facility; (2) FAA failed to include additional factors in its cost analyses that could further support its decision; and (3) available data from FAA indicated that remoting does not promote safety risks.