IG finds lots to worry about in FAA's air traffic control upgrade

The Federal Aviation Administration has fallen so far behind in meeting its milestones for its overhaul of the air traffic control system that it could cause costs to skyrocket and delays to extend out for years, according to an audit from FAA's inspector general.

The agency has many decisions left to make concerning cost, execution and coordination of specific NextGen programs, according to the report, which was released this month. NextGen is FAA's ambitious plan to replace the nation's aging radar-based air traffic control system with a satellite-based network by 2020.

"While FAA is making progress in addressing NextGen's challenges, a number of critical actions are still needed for successful implementation," the report states. "Among them, and perhaps the most important in the near term, is setting realistic expectations for what can be achieved in the midterm and assessing the associated risks. . . . Until then, NextGen may not deliver the expected long-term benefits and ultimately puts billions of taxpayer dollars at risk."

The inspector general found FAA had met only 11 of 51 benchmarks in its fiscal 2009 strategic plan for the new air traffic control system. For example, the agency has two software releases to complete for the En-Route Automation Modernization system, which provides flight information to terminal control facilities and traffic management systems. ERAM has experienced data processing failures. It's a critical underlying technology for other NextGen capabilities, including Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast, a position-monitoring system designed to improve communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. In addition, questions remain about the level of automation within NextGen and the cost of a system to replace voice communications with data communications.

A recent report commissioned by the Joint Planning and Development Office, the FAA body overseeing the NextGen rollout, found some capabilities slated for completion by 2025 could be delayed until 2035 and cost much more than the projected $40 billion.

The audit also found FAA lacks clear guidelines for aircraft equipment requirements, which raises safety concerns because air traffic controllers must manage multiple systems simultaneously. Controllers could rely too much on automated capabilities, causing skills they now use to manage traffic to diminish over time. This could pose a problem if automation capabilities fail and controllers are required to revert to traditional air-traffic-control processes. In addition, FAA plans to hire 15,000 new air traffic controllers during the next decade, but it lacks a specific plan for developing their skills in software development and systems engineering, the report noted.

FAA has partnered with the European Commission, industry and NASA on NextGen research and development, but it has not coordinated with other agencies, the audit said. For example, the Commerce Department's 4-D weather cube, a database of weather observations based on latitude, longitude, altitude and time, doesn't incorporate FAA requirements. In addition, as the agency deploys ADS-B and decommissions existing radar systems, it must cooperate with the Defense and Homeland Security departments to eliminate gaps in surveillance and improve security capabilities.

"Undertaking NextGen is extremely complex, in part because systems in various stages of development and maturity are interdependent and will be implemented in a variety of time frames," wrote Ramesh Punwani, FAA's chief financial officer, in response to the report. The agency agreed with all the report's findings.

The inspector general audit is not the first to raise concerns about NextGen. Previous investigations and testimony have identified budget problems, software deficiencies, management shortcomings and systems integration issues that FAA should address as it deploys new technologies.