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 FAA's 20-year effort to install the STARS radar system, a key part of the NextGen air traffic control upgrade, was audited by the DOT Inspector General (IG).
- The IG found the FAA underestimated transition costs by $90 million, lacked sufficient documentation for validating new requirements, and installed STARS power systems that did not comply with safety regulations (e.g., daisy-chained power strips).
- Additionally, STARS has not successfully made some important NextGen capabilities, like sequencing and spacing tools, operational.
- The IG issued recommendations for the FAA to finalize requirement timelines, improve documentation, and redesign the non-compliant power supply configurations.
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