The FAA has nearly completed its 20-year effort to install final versions of a new radar system at 11 large hub airports around the United States. Close on the heels of the agency’s work, the Department of Transportation’s Inspector General recently audited the program at the behest of the House Appropriations Committee to better understand how close the FAA is to meeting the original goals of the upgrades. The new radar, called STARS, for standard terminal automation replacement system, represents a critical element in reducing traffic delays and increasing capacity, a major component of the NextGen ATC upgrade.
DOT Reports on FAA’s Latest NextGen Steps
Key Takeaways:
- The DOT Inspector General audited the FAA's 20-year installation of the STARS radar system, a critical NextGen component at 11 large airports, to assess its progress and adherence to goals.
- The audit revealed the FAA underestimated transition costs by $90 million, inadequately documented new requirements, implemented non-compliant power systems (e.g., daisy-chained power strips), and failed to operationalize some crucial NextGen sequencing and spacing tools.
- The IG issued several recommendations, including improving documentation, redesigning the power supply, and finalizing timelines for all system capabilities, which the FAA largely agreed to address despite some disagreements on the audit's interpretation.
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