FAA's airspace redesign is being DOT audited

The DOT’s office of inspector general (IG) last month opened a cost-oriented audit of the FAA’s airspace redesign program. In 1997 the FAA launched a multi-year program to modernize the ATC system and now expects to spend $250 million on more than 30 separate airspace projects. Although the IG complimented the FAA on its efforts to “address system choke points” over the last two years, it wants to determine if the agency has an “effective process to control costs, mitigate risks and coordinate local, regional and headquarter efforts.” In addition, the IG wants to know if there are opportunities for the FAA to make the redesign more cost effective.