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Open Recommendations (38 total)

Commercial Space Transportation: Improvements to FAA's Workforce Planning Needed to Prepare for the Industry's Anticipated Growth

GAO-19-437
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration The Associate Administrator of AST should develop and document a plan for periodically assessing whether staff possess the necessary skills and competencies to achieve programmatic goals, such as annually administering a skills assessment survey. (Recommendation 4)
Open
In July 2023, AST provided us with information related to the office's efforts to ensure their workforce has the skills needed to carry out AST's missions. These efforts include, according to AST's 2023-2027 strategic plan: conducting quarterly meetings with AST directorates to identify critical hiring needs with the goal of improving diversity and including a broad spectrum of experience; developing a robust AST recruiting and retention program to address the needs of an evolving workforce; and tailoring an exit survey to help AST understand driving forces behind attrition. In addition, AST's 2023 business plan states that AST will create and begin implementation of a staffing strategy that includes requirements, position priorities, attrition forecasting, affordability, and contractor mix. However, AST officials have not provided us with documentation of their plan to periodically assess whether staff possess the necessary skills and competencies to achieve programmatic goals. We will continue to monitor AST's progress in implementing this recommendation.

Aviation Certification: FAA Needs to Strengthen Its Design Review Process for Small Airplanes

GAO-21-85
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration The Executive Director of the Aircraft Certification Service should take steps to develop performance measures to evaluate the effects of Part 23 performance-based regulations on safety, regulatory cost burden, innovation, and technology adoption for small airplanes. (Recommendation 7)
Open
As of August 2023, FAA developed and is tracking the following metrics: (1) participation in standards development; (2) number of standards issued each year; (3) number and time for FAA acceptance of standards. We will continue to monitor FAA's progress in implementing this recommendation, specifically with respect to developing and tracking performance measures related to safety, regulatory cost burden, innovation, and technology adoption.

Drones: FAA Should Improve Its Approach to Integrating Drones into the National Airspace System

GAO-23-105189
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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration
Priority Rec.
The Administrator of FAA should develop a drone integration strategy that includes all seven elements of a comprehensive strategy. (Recommendation 1)
Open
DOT agreed with this recommendation. In February 2024, FAA reported to us that it is developing a drone integration strategy and that it is on track with issuing this strategy by June 30, 2024. FAA previously stated that the drone integration strategy will include all seven elements of a comprehensive strategy and that the agency is coordinating and collect input from different FAA offices to develop the drone integration strategy. We will review the drone integration strategy when it is completed.

Commercial Space Transportation: Improvements to FAA's Workforce Planning Needed to Prepare for the Industry's Anticipated Growth

GAO-19-437
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration The Associate Administrator of AST should develop workload metrics that encompass the whole office and that would allow AST to determine an appropriate workforce size and composition. (Recommendation 1)
Open
AST officials told us in June 2023 that it has taken a number of steps to determine an appropriate workforce size and composition. However, it has still not developed workload metrics specific to its management and support functions. We will continue to monitor AST's implementation of this recommendation.

Aviation Certification: FAA Should Evaluate Effectiveness of the International Validation Process

GAO-24-106040
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration The Administrator of FAA should identify the quality information and performance metrics the agency needs to track progress toward the goals it identifies for the international validations process and how it will collect that information, which may include changes to agency data systems or dashboards. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Aviation Administration The Administrator of FAA should use the information FAA collects to assess the results of and inform decisions about any needed improvements to the international validations process. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Aviation Safety: Actions Needed to Evaluate Changes to FAA's Enforcement Policy on Safety Standards

GAO-20-642
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration The FAA Administrator should conduct an evaluation of the Compliance Program to assess the effectiveness of the program in meeting its goals. (Recommendation 3)
Open
FAA concurred with this recommendation. FAA conducts annual reviews of the Compliance Program, but FAA has not yet evaluated the effectiveness of the Compliance Program. In May 2023, FAA told GAO it continues to conduct annual reviews of the Compliance Program, which will include identifying steps to improve FAA's ability to measure the effectiveness of the Compliance Program. We will continue to monitor FAA's actions related to this recommendation.

Drones: FAA Should Improve Its Approach to Integrating Drones into the National Airspace System

GAO-23-105189
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration The Administrator of FAA should evaluate its current documentation to identify options to more clearly communicate how applicants can satisfy drone operational request requirements, and communicate FAA's internal process for reviewing and approving operational requests. (Recommendation 2)
Open
DOT agreed with this recommendation. In January 2024, FAA reported to us that it is currently reviewing its current public communications that describe how applicants can satisfy FAA drone operational request requirements. As part of its review, FAA is examining guidance, existing regulations, and potential rulemaking related to a range of drone operations. FAA plans to complete updates to its current public communication documents by June 2024. We will continue to monitor FAA's efforts regarding this recommendation.

Commercial Space Launch Insurance: FAA Needs to Fully Address Mandated Requirements

GAO-18-57
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration The FAA Administrator should fulfill the CSLCA mandate to include ensuring a balance of risk between the federal government and launch companies as part of FAA's MPL methodology evaluation by reexamining the current probability thresholds. (Recommendation 1)
Open
In January 2021, Department of Transportation (DOT) officials stated that FAA had not yet finished reexamining the current maximum probable loss (MPL) probability thresholds. The officials also stated that FAA remains focused on streamlining the launch and reentry license regulations (SLR2) rulemaking and subsequent 27 Advisory Circulars. According to the officials, they had re-chartered COMSTAC, and expect to develop a priority list of all commercial space regulations by December 2021, which will include Part 440, Financial Responsibility. Subsequently, in July 2021, FAA officials told us that FAA will address these recommendations at the time it updates Part 440, which is postponed while the agency remains focused on activities related to its streamlined launch and reentry licensing regulations. In March 2023, FAA formed a Financial Responsibility Aerospace Rulemaking Committee to solicit information about updating the overall financial responsibility regime. They expect a report from the committee in early 2024, with rulemaking beginning shortly thereafter.
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