The FAA has improved its efforts to implement the “next generation air transportation system,” NextGen, and is continuing its work to address critical issues that GAO and others have identified over the years, but acquisition delays have impacted the timelines of other dependent systems and there is a risk of other acquisitions to encounter delays, GAO told a House transportation panel recently.
It said the agency has implemented NextGen capabilities that have demonstrated measurable benefits for system users such as fuel savings, that it has streamlined processes, improved capacity to develop new flight procedures, and has focused efforts on specific procedures needed in key metropolitan areas.
However, while several NextGen-related acquisitions are generally on time and on budget, acquisition delays have increased costs and reduced benefits.
Going forward, the FAA must focus on delivering systems and capabilities in a timely fashion to maintain its credibility with industry stakeholders, whose adoption of key technologies is crucial to NextGen’s success, according to GAO-12-141T.
It said the FAA must also continue to monitor how delays will affect international harmonization issues, focus on “human factors” issues, streamline environmental approvals, mitigate environmental impacts, and focus on improving management and governance.