Local Area Augmentation System - Program Structure
There are a variety of essential activities that must take place in order to develop a safety-critical precision navigation system, such as LAAS. To address these activities, the LAAS program consists of several functional areas:
- LAAS Research and Development (R&D) - LAAS R&D
currently focuses on Category II/III Specification Development.
- LAAS System Engineering (SE) - LAAS SE activities support the Category I LAAS Honeywell contract for the development of the provably safe prototype (PSP) at Memphis, and System Design Approval Process related to obtaining a CAT I Non-Federal Regulatory Approval.
Specific tasks include:
- Development of LAAS specifications
- Coordination of LAAS siting issues
- Consideration of safety issues
- Review of contract execution for the PSP development
- Conduct contractual flight evaluations and analyses
- Conduct contract stability testing and analyses
- LAAS System Operational Implementation - This function helps to ensure that the overall LAAS concept is being properly implemented.
- LAAS System Security - The LAAS security function helps to ensure entities without proper authorization cannot utilize or compromise the LAAS.
- LAAS Contracts/Finance - The contracts/finance function manages the activities pertaining to CAT I development contract cost, schedule, and performance; and also reviews all deliverables.
- LAAS Business Management - This function supports and manages the LAAS budget process.
To ensure a smooth and successful transition of the LAAS into the FAA's other lines of business and into the National Airspace System, there are several other FAA organizations involved in the development, acquisition, and commissioning of the LAAS.
These other FAA organizations include:
- FAA NAS In-Service Management - These are FAA personnel who support the Deployment Planning Process, and Standard Operating Procedures.
- FAA Navigation Systems Engineering - These are the FAA personnel who provide policy oversight on system engineering functions, such as human factors, security, and configuration management.
- FAA National Airways Systems Engineering Division - These are the FAA personnel located at the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who support software and system design activities.
- FAA Aircraft Certification Service - These are FAA headquarter personnel who set requirements based on FAA certification criteria to ensure the LAAS is safe to use by aircraft operating in the National Airspace System. Support activities include requirements documentation, safety assurance, and RTCA and GNSSP support.
- FAA Flight Procedure Standards Branch - This group is responsible for developing rules, standards, policies, and criteria governing the operational aspects of en route, terminal, and instrument flight procedures (except air traffic control procedures), and also develops and establishes criteria for civil and military terminal instrument procedures.
- Aviation System Standards National Flight Procedures Office - This FAA group, located in Oklahoma City, performs instrument flight procedures development and maintenance functions.
- Air Traffic - This FAA group helps to ensure that FAA Air Traffic Services' operational needs are satisfied.
- William J. Hughes Technical Center - Supports LAAS system engineering activities and provides LAAS ground facility and LAAS avionics test support.
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