Skip to main content

Air Traffic Control: FAA's Advanced Automation System Acquisition Strategy Is Risky

IMTEC-86-24 Published: Jul 08, 1986. Publicly Released: Jul 08, 1986.
Jump To:

Highlights

GAO reviewed the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) acquisition of the Advanced Automation System (AAS) to determine whether it is a technically and economically sound investment.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Transportation The Secretary of Transportation should direct FAA to verify the benefit estimates and the operational suitability of Aera 1 and Aera 2 functional enhancements by operational simulation as soon as it is practicable, and before proceeding with full-scale production.
Closed – Implemented
Simulation will increase the probability of deploying timely, state-of-the-art functions, thus providing unmeasurable system performance and cost-reduction benefits.
Department of Transportation The Secretary of Transportation should direct FAA to revise its AAS acquisition strategy to incorporate a contract phase to develop and operationally test prototype models of critical components under realistic conditions before the decision and contract award are made for full production quantities. At a minimum, critical components should include the controller workstations, en route hardware and software, and the local communications network.
Closed – Implemented
FAA revised the acquisition strategy to develop and test critical components before production, reducing risks of producing a system requiring costly changes to perform satisfactorily. By deferring large production costs from 1988 to 1991, the change also leads to better use of funds and measurable accomplishment of $332 million in fiscal year (FY) 1988 and $250 million for future years.
Department of Transportation The Secretary of Transportation should direct FAA to reexamine AAS features and requirements to identify the most inexpensive and cost-effective alternatives and to revalidate requirements before proceeding to the development and testing phase.
Closed – Implemented
FAA reduced or eliminated cost driving requirements resulting in estimated program savings of $632 million over the 12-year acquisition period. This action results in another measurable accomplishment of $52.67 million in FY 1988 and an equal amount for future years, based on the assumption that savings will occur equally over the 12-year acquisition period.

Full Report

Full Report (7 pages)

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

Government Operations
IT acquisitionsAir traffic control systemsCost effectiveness analysisFixed price contractsInformation systemsProduct evaluationRegulatory agenciesResearch and developmentTestingAcquisition strategy