Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
The first live test of changes made to the US national airspace system to overcome year 2000 (Y2K) computer problems has been scheduled for the early hours of 10 April, centred on Denver, Colorado.
The Federal Aviation Administration says it is on course to complete its Y2K compliance programme by the 30 June deadline. It plans to complete validation testing of the 626 systems it is tracking by 31 March. Testing is 80% complete and the final implementation phase is under way, says Ray Long, head of the FAA's Y2K office.
End-to-end testing of the Y2K renovations has begun at the FAA's Technical Center. Some tests have involved Nav Canada. An agreement to conduct tests with Mexico is close, says deputy programme manager Mary Powers-King.
Long says the FAA hopes to conclude testing agreements with six countries - Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Japan, the UK and the Dominican Republic - accounting for 60% of flights into and out of the USA. Plans call for end-to-end testing with these countries in June/July, says Powers-King.
The FAA is relying on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to ensure that other countries are Y2K compliant, says Long. States have until 1 July to report their Y2K status to the ICAO, after which the US Department of State plans to issue advisories to airlines on each country's compliance progress and contingency plans.
For the Denver test, due to last 3h in the early morning of 10 April, the air traffic control host computer and related systems will be divided. Half will continue on "real" time, while the other will be rolled forward to simulate the 31 December to 1 January date transition. At least one airline has expressed interest in taking part, says Long.
• About one-third of US airports expect to meet the FAA's 30 June deadline for Y2K compliance, says the General Accounting Office (GAO). Another third say they will not meet the date, but have begun contingency planning. The final third - including nine of the 50 biggest airports - do not meet either criterion, says the GAO.
Long says the FAA's biggest concern about the Y2K transition is delays caused by airport problems, including baggage handling and the knock-on effect on the national airspace system.
Source: Flight International
