FAA Responds
To Task Force
Agency outlines action items in response to recommendations
of the RTCA NextGen Mid-Term Implementation Task Force
By Frank Alexander
FAA on Jan. 31 published its response to recommendations of the RTCA NextGen Mid-Term Implementation Task Force (Task Force 5). The Task Force
report, published in September 2009, represents an industry consensus set of recommendations for improvements to the
nation’s air transportation system during
the period 2010 to 2018.
The Task Force report contained 56
recommendations, of which FAA accepted 33, or all of the “Tier 1” applications.
Tier 1 applications are those the Task
Force assessed to be of high benefit to the
users and low risk for implementation to
both FAA and industry stakeholders.
The Tier 1 applications were grouped
into seven categories. The first five —
Surface, Runway Access, Metroplex,
Cruise and National Airspace System
(NAS) Access — identified specific recommendations in these individual areas.
Of the remaining two categories, one was
defined as “cross cutting,” representing
applications that are integral to supporting the others; and one as “overarching,”
viewed as being critical to the success of
implementing the recommended operational capabilities.
In its response to the Task Force,
FAA identified each of the accepted recommendations and provided an action
plan for accomplishing it. The responses
vary from completing programs that are
already in progress, rapid implementation
of programs that are at or near maturity,
evaluating policy and procedural changes
and conducting research into programs
that can be implemented toward the end
of the mid-term period.
One of the more significant short-term
improvements aviation industry stakeholders have committed to is implementation of the Air Traffic Safety Action
Program (ATSAP) agreement between
FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO)
and the National Air Traffic Controllers
Association (NATCA). The program
is similar to the Aviation Safety Action
Program between FAA and air carriers
to identify safety deficiencies by
providing a measure of
immunity to
an employee
who reports
a safety problem. The air
carrier program
has proven very
successful since
its implementation. FAA’s action
plan calls for completion of ATSAP
training by the end
of this year.
Another concern of airlines is the
current process for
obtaining approvals
for Performance-Based
Navigation (PBN) operations and procedures. Some
operators won’t make the
commitment to PBN procedures due to the costs to
equip aircraft and the special
training involved for a limited
number of available instrument
procedures.
One possible solution to the high
costs of PBN is for the government to
provide financial incentives for operators
to equip. These could come in the form
of low-cost loans, tax credits or other
financial incentives. An additional means
to incentivize would be to apply the “best
equipped-best served” concept to air traf-
fic. This would represent a significant
After seven months of meetings, the
RTCA NextGen Task Force representing
industry and government produced a
final report to FAA last September.
