Air Traffic Control: Continuing Delays Anticipated for the Advanced Automation System
IMTEC-90-63
Published: Jul 18, 1990. Publicly Released: Aug 20, 1990.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) efforts to develop the Advanced Automation System (AAS), focusing on whether FAA was effectively managing the first key AAS phase, the Initial Sector Suite System (ISSS), in order to minimize program delays.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected Sort descending | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Transportation | The Secretary of Transportation should direct the Administrator, FAA, to establish, with IBM, a new and realistic schedule for AAS development and delivery. An analysis should be conducted immediately that assesses remaining tasks and determines realistic time frames for IBM to complete the development and delivery of ISSS, as well as the remainder of AAS. The analysis should include an appropriate safety factor, such as the time needed to conduct retesting and tuning of the system to meet performance requirements. The analysis should also explore the feasibility of revising the order of AAS implementation to expedite modernization of larger terminal radar approach control facilities. |
Closed – Implemented
The Department of Transportation concurred with the recommendation. FAA and the contractor, IBM, subsequently agreed to an additional 6-month schedule extension to address open requirements issues and problems that could arise during system testing.
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Air traffic control systemsComputer equipment managementSoftwareComputer contractsCost analysisDelivery termsInformation systemsRadar equipmentRegulatory agenciesTestingTransportation safety