Yaaawwwnnn...

Anybody here surprised?

FAA’s Aviation Revamp Puts Taxpayer Dollars at Risk, U.S. Says

”“NextGen may not deliver the expected long-term benefits and ultimately puts billions of taxpayer dollars at risk” unless the FAA sets expectations for the benefits to be achieved, the report said. “FAA has not yet acquired the necessary skill sets and expertise to successfully implement” the program, according to the report. “

Translation: NextGen is pie in the sky. There are no concrete objectives, only empty promises.

”FAA spokesman Paul Takemoto didn’t immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. The FAA in a response included in the report said that it concurred with the recommendations.

“The FAA remains confident it will achieve the vision set out in the NextGen plan,” the agency said. “

The FAA is confident it can achieve a vision that it does not have and meet the objectives not listed. In other words, in a decade -- after spending $100 billion dollars (that’s my guess for today) -- they will point to whatever has “stuck to the wall” and declare success. Surely, in a decade, there will be a couple of runways built at a couple of major airports and the FAA will be able to point to a certain percentage increase in traffic (remember, they get to do the counting) and point to their victory.

Oh yeah, and there is this.

”The agency must resolve issues including the future of En Route Automation Modernization, a $2.1 billion Lockheed project to replace computers used by controllers to direct aircraft at high altitudes, according to the report. The FAA said in April it may have to delay the program after flaws were uncovered.”

Like I said, Big Yawn.

Don Brown
June 21, 2010

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