ATC
DOT IG: FAA NextGen Development Projects Lack Oversight
Since Fiscal Year 2008, Congress has appropriated more than $1.7 billion for NextGen developmental projects.
As part of the FAA's NextGen program, air traffic control towers and Tracon facilities are transitioning from the old ARTS IIE analog flight-tracking systems (left) to fully-digital STARS Elite systems (right). (Photo: NATCA)
As part of the FAA's NextGen program, air traffic control towers and Tracon facilities are transitioning from the old ARTS IIE analog flight-tracking systems (left) to fully-digital STARS Elite systems (right). (Photo: NATCA)

A recently released report from the U.S. DOT Inspector General found that the FAA “has lacked effective management controls” in its project level agreement (PLA) process for NextGen developmental projects. For example, it found that 12 of the 22 PLAs the DOT watchdog sampled did not align with the FAA’s high-priority NextGen investment decisions, primarily because they were for support or implementation work.