The US Federal Aviation Administration admits that the year 2000 computer issue needs to be addressed on an international basis but is reluctant to take a leadership role. Instead the FAA suggests that the International Civil Aviation Organisation might be a better candidate.
The FAA's reluctance stems from two concerns. First, it is struggling to claw back its own credibility on the year 2000 issue after a General Accounting Office report criticised it for being seriously behind schedule. Second, the FAA became unpopular with many other civil aviation authorities when it ranked them under its International Aviation Safety Assessment programme. Many authorities and overseas airlines accuse the FAA of running a safety audit that was biased in favour of US airlines.
In order to avoid such accusations a second time, the FAA is requesting that ICAO take the front role, collecting progress reports from all authorities and supplying them to the FAA. 'This is an issue that needs to be elevated as high as we can,' says Raymond Long, the FAA's newly-appointed year 2000 programme office director.
Long, who reports directly to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, has already brought forward the certification date for all agency systems to be year 2000 compliant from November to 30 June 1999. 'I don't sleep much,' admits Long, but he insists that the new schedule is based on 'realistic numbers' and takes a 'belt and suspenders' approach that will leave nothing overlooked. The FAA estimates that its entire year 2000 programme will cost $156 million, to be spread over five fiscal years.
Source: Airline Business
