Air Traffic Control

Inadequate Planning Increases Risk of Computer Failures in Los Angeles Gao ID: IMTEC-90-49 July 16, 1990

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) project to consolidate four terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facilities in the Los Angeles basin area by 1995, focusing on FAA plans to meet the automation needs of the Los Angeles basin area's terminal airspace.

GAO found that: (1) the airspace in the Los Angeles basin area has experienced more near-midair collision reports than any other location in the United States; (2) the four TRACON facilities in the Los Angeles area had previously reported computer capacity shortfalls resulting in the loss of aircraft identification information from controllers' screens; (3) FAA reacted to those shortfalls with stopgap measures designed to keep current, aging systems operating; (4) the FAA plan for a consolidated facility did not allow for steep growth in air traffic and assumed that an advanced system would be implemented on schedule; and (5) due to its lack of a computer capacity and performance management program, FAA did not know if its automation plan for the consolidated facility would meet future needs.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Team: Phone:


The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.