Is the FAA moving as it should in decisions and actions relating to the Next Generation Air Transportation System — NextGen — and if not, why not? That is what the office of Inspector General of the Department of Transportation will try to determine in an audit of the FAA’s progress on the program.
The audit will cover three objectives:
- Assess the FAA’s progress to meeting key milestones for achieving NextGen capabilities,
- Examine possible underlying causes for FAA limited progress with advancing NextGen overall, and
- Review FAA’s reorganization and other efforts to improve management and execution of NextGen initiatives.
The Inspector General’s office is undertaking the audit at the request of Rep. John Mica (R-Fla), who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, ranking members of the committee, and the aviation subcommittee. Mica has long been critical of the FAA’s lack of progress and uncertainty of costs.