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The FAA has a plan to get compliant.
The hard part is replacing the
30 ancient IBM computers that control the flight plans. They haven't. They can't. It's too late. But except for this, the FAA is on top of things. Well, anyway, they're on top of a huge document full of goals.
It's nice to have goals. It's nicer to meet them.
Also, they have an organization chart. It goes on and on. The FAA is obviously very good at producing organization charts.
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At 12:01 A.M. on January 1, 2000, many computer systems worldwide will malfunction or produce incorrect information simply because of a date change anomaly. . . .
Many of the FAA’s mission critical systems, such as its core business systems, as well as those that comprise the National Airspace System (NAS), will be impacted by the problem. Numerous subsystems will be affected as well.
Failure to process the dates properly could lead to serious failures -- immediate and long-term -- among various FAA systems. The FAA Y2K Program Office, incorporating the processes of the original AF Y2K Program Office established in May 1997, is implementing this comprehensive Y2K project plan to manage the Y2K repair cycle across the FAA. System repairs are well underway throughout all seven lines of business; many systems have already been certified Y2K compliant, as a result of following the steps in the Y2K repair process outlined here.
The Y2K problem is not a difficult technical problem to solve. . . .
The FAA Y2K Program Office provides direction and leadership to the Y2K Program Offices by developing high level process guidelines, standards, and automated tool and vendor lists, and by gathering information about best practices and lessons learned. The FAA Y2K Program Office also provides contractual and legal support to lines of business procuring vendors for Y2K repair. The Y2K Program Offices, and their system owners, however, retain independence in selecting their own repair methods, tools, and vendors.
Our business partners in industry, academia, the vendor community, and other government agencies will share lessons learned and help the FAA Y2K Program Office identify best practices for approaching the Y2K problem.
2.2 FAA Y2K Program Office Goals
The FAA Y2K Program Office has outlined four major goals that it will accomplish during its existence. These are presented in detail below.
Goal 1: Ensure that the NAS and other core FAA systems will operate reliably through the Year 2000 and beyond
Through sound management, monitoring, and detailed direction, the FAA Y2K Program Office ensures that all FAA systems operate into the Year 2000 and beyond. . . .
Goal 2: Ensure that the lines of business across the FAA follow a consistent approach and adhere to project schedule
By providing the FAA Y2K Repair Process and Standards Manual, and monitoring system owners’ activities through weekly reports submitted by LOB Y2K Program Offices, the FAA Y2K Program Office can make sure that all lines of business are following the required process and timeline, and can redirect efforts if necessary. . . .
Goal 3: Track the status of all FAA Y2K efforts throughout the entire repair life cycle
To ensure that all Y2K efforts are carried out within the required time frames, and to avoid sporadic or inconsistent progress among different lines of business, the FAA Y2K Program Office performs centralized tracking of all Y2K efforts across the agency. . . .
Goal 4: Minimize risk associated with the FAA Y2K efforts. . . .
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