The Department of Transportation has issued a management advisory warning of ongoing cost and schedule risks to the FAA’s deployment of the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System – STARS, at 11 large terminal facilities.
STARS is meant to modernize the systems air traffic controllers use to manage traffic. In May 2013 the IG concluded that unstable software requirements put the deployment at risk of cost and schedule overruns.
After looking into the program further, the IG said the FAA still has yet to stabilize STARS software requirements and that he agency has not determined the site-specific capabilities needed or when they will be implemented.
Finally, questions about the adequacy of FAA’s training and certification of technical operations specialists raise concerns about the agency’s management of STARS deployment, according to the IG.
