NATCA Bookshelf

39 I s s u e s N A T I O N A L A I R T R A F F I C C O N T R O L L E R S A S S O C I A T I O N | W W W . N AT C A . O R G N i W To d a y surface detection systems and situational awareness tools that can help air traffic controllers address runway incursions and mitigate the risk of aircraft landing on an incorrect surface. Each year, the NAS experiences hundreds of safety events such as wrong-surface landings and runway incursions. As a result, the FAA has begun working on a new surface surveillance situational awareness tool that will help controllers identify and detect when and where aircraft and ADS-B equipped vehicles are on airport surfaces. Although it is still in its infancy of development, this situational awareness tool would fulfill a similar role as the Airport Surface Detection System – Model X (ASDE-X) and Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) at airports that do not currently have any surface surveillance technology. However, unlike ASDE-X and ASSC, this tool would be limited only to visual indicators and will not include "safety logic" enhancements, which is the predictive software that alerts controllers and provides an audible alarm as soon as the safety risk is detected by the program. Only 44 airports across the NAS have either ASDE-X or ASSC, and despite being a recent technological upgrade, these programs are in a sustainment-only posture within the FAA. The FAA does not have the funding nor contractual capability to expand these programs to new facilities. The successful and timely implementation of this new situational awareness tool likely will hinge on two factors: the availability of sufficient funding for this program, and an intentional acceleration of the FAA's acquisitions management process, so this tool can reach air traffic facilities sooner rather than later. NATCA is also concerned about the funding for other modernization and infrastructure priorities in the areas of communications, support tools in automation, and traffic management tools for existing users and new entrants like Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and Commercial Space. Although the FAA's development and deployment of modernization programs has improved over time, the COVID-19 pandemic and the 35-day government shutdown stifled FAA modernization work and new user integration. The lasting effects of these events caused significant delays to these programs and projects, wasting critical resources and federal taxpayer dollars. PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS The FAA's physical infrastructure also continues to need attention. The FAA's air route traffic control centers are more than 60 years old. The FAA has many towers and TRACONs that need repair or replacement. Many of these facilities have exceeded their expected lifecycle, while others need replacement of critical systems including roofs, windows, HVAC systems, elevators, and plumbing. In order for modernization and infrastructure programs to be successfully completed in a timely fashion and at the lowest possible cost to taxpayers, the FAA needs stable and sufficient funding above and beyond the $5 billion in supplemental funding provided by Congress in the IIJA. Without stable and sufficient funding, modernization programs and new user integration will continue to be threatened by delays and budget shortfalls that will jeopardize their timely deployment and success. MESSAGE In recent years, significant disruptions, stop-and- go funding, and threatened shutdowns of both the FAA and the federal government have stifled FAA modernization work and new user integration, causing significant delays to these projects, wasting critical resources and federal taxpayer money. Unfortunately, the FAA also has requested insufficient F&E funding from Congress, leading to further challenges and delays for modernization programs, as well as deferred repair and replacement of critical infrastructure. The FAA, NATCA, and our industry partners must continue to work together in order to overcome the delays caused by budgetary shortfalls in order to achieve similar successes to those already realized on modernization programs such as ERAM, DataComm, and Metroplex. Increased funding for F&E programs is essential to prevent the FAA from lagging behind in its system sustainment, modernization, and infrastructure upgrade efforts. BACKGROUND M o d e r n i za t i o n a n d I n f r a s t r u c t u r e F u n d i n g P r i o r i t i e s NATCA has identified the following platforms and programs as being the most critical to maintaining and upgrading the NAS. These platforms and programs have been sorted into four tiers based on their relationship and necessity to the continued safe and efficient operation of the NAS. B u d g e t a r y S h o r t fa l l s P l a g u e M o d e r n i z a t i o n A n d I n f ra s t r u c t u re E f fo r t s Issue

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