Summary: Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) program for testing the air traffic control systems and equipment it procures under its National Airspace System (NAS) plan.
GAO found that: (1) a December 1986 FAA test and evaluation order sought to implement an independent contractor's recommendations for improving system testing, but did not address the roles of system users or establish effective controls to ensure compliance; (2) FAA established an operational test and evaluation group, but that group only reviewed those systems which cost at least $150 million, and subsequent agency reorganizations eliminated the group's independence from system developers and users; (3) FAA did not always conduct the testing necessary to ensure that systems worked as intended and were operationally suitable before proceeding with system production and deployment, resulting in schedule delays of up to 8 years for some systems; (4) 11 of 15 reviewed deployed systems did not comply with the December 1986 test order, and 7 of those systems lacked approved master test plans; (5) FAA issued a new test and evaluation order in February 1989 to overcome past testing deficiencies, but that order did not recognize the need for independent oversight; and (6) FAA top management has not provided the support necessary for implementing an effective test program.
