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Experiences with the new LockMart FSS?
Anyone have any experiences with the new provider?
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On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 01:56:45 GMT, john smith wrote in
:: Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? Have they actually begun to implement their plan? |
#3
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"john smith" wrote in message ... Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? There isn't really anything new about the provider, yet. Its still the same people using the same procedures from the same facilities. |
#4
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I thought this started Tuesday.
"Larry Dighera" wrote in message ... On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 01:56:45 GMT, john smith wrote in :: Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? Have they actually begun to implement their plan? |
#5
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Yea, Tuesday OCTOBER 4, 2005.
Chris John Doe wrote: I thought this started Tuesday. "Larry Dighera" wrote in message ... On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 01:56:45 GMT, john smith wrote in :: Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? Have they actually begun to implement their plan? |
#6
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Agree. We're not going to see anything significantly different until FS21
goes live. When that happens I believe the Leesburg AFSS will experience the initial changes but I could be wrong as I am not privy the that info. Marco Leon "Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message ink.net... "john smith" wrote in message ... Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? There isn't really anything new about the provider, yet. Its still the same people using the same procedures from the same facilities. |
#7
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Yea, what he said.....
"Chris G." nospam@noemail wrote in message eenews.net... Yea, Tuesday OCTOBER 4, 2005. Chris John Doe wrote: I thought this started Tuesday. "Larry Dighera" wrote in message ... On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 01:56:45 GMT, john smith wrote in :: Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? Have they actually begun to implement their plan? |
#8
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Experiences with the new LockMart FSS?
On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 01:56:45 GMT, john smith wrote in
:: Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? It looks like LocMart is not able to meet it's cost savings estimates nor its schedule: ------------------------------------------------------------------- AVwebFlash Volume 12, Number 16a -- April 17, 2006 ------------------------------------------------------------------- MODERNIZATION TAKES TIME (http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#192030) A massive effort to replace communications and data lines that stitch together the air traffic control system is (surprise, surprise) behind schedule and not achieving its financial goals, according to the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/us...=1&oref=slogin). The contract to replace the system was issued in 2002, awarded to the Harris Corporation, was supposed to be completed by now, but the scheduled was extended in December, 2005. Marion C. Blakey, the administrator of the F.A.A., acknowledged in a recent interview that it would be "a climb" to stick to the revised schedule, which calls for completion in December 2007. And the initial estimate that the new system could save $800 million over 10 years has been revised, with savings now estimated at $600 million over 15 years. The Times story also says the program has caused three failures that resulted in flight delays. The failures have come from a variety of causes. On March 6, the system lost contact with a radar near Chicago, leading controllers to hold scores of planes on the ground. The problem was that a new line had failed and that the old one had been prematurely disconnected by the F.A.A., the agency acknowledged. However, Harris Corp., which won the contract to do the conversion, said in a news release (http://www.harris.com/view_pressrele...kup&pr_id=1832) last week that the work is on schedule and will reduce the FAA's costs. The program, called the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure, was awarded to Harris Corp. three years ago, and will replace all the lines linking 4,400 installations, including remote mountain radio and radar sites. It's supposed to be done by the end of the year but likely won't be finished until the end of 2007, according to the Times story. http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#192030 |
#9
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Experiences with the new LockMart FSS?
http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...0515audit.html Inspector general to audit FAA-Lockheed Martin flight service contract To ensure that general aviation pilots are being served properly, the Transportation Department's inspector general will be auditing the contract awarded by the FAA last year to have Lockheed Martin Corp. take over flight service station (FSS) functions. The contract is one of the largest nondefense-related outsourcing efforts in the federal government. The inspector general's office pointed out in a May 8 memo that it will be assessing whether the FAA has implemented effective plans and controls to transition FSS to contract operations and that operational needs of users continue to be met. The audit is planned to begin sometime this month. AOPA staff has already talked to officials from the inspector general's office to make sure they understand pilots' concerns and experiences with FSS operations. In the course of those conversations, AOPA has offered to survey its members — Lockheed's FSS customers — and report back to the inspector general's office in order to help them determine how well Lockheed is performing. "The FAA and Lockheed Martin must remain accountable to the users," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "This early look at the program and the associated plans for changes is important to ensure pilots' needs are met, which is why AOPA is working closely with the inspector general of the Department of Transportation." Lockheed Martin's flight services system is called "Flight Services 21" (FS21) and will be a fully integrated nationwide network that gives all flight service specialists and pilots access to flight plan information from a single, common database. AOPA had pushed hard for specific performance guarantees to improve safety and convenience for GA pilots. The FAA has limited experience with outsourcing, and the unusually large contract deals with important safety issues. Under federal law, agencies are subject to routine monitoring when they award contracts to the private sector. It is even more important that there be an independent examination of the contract because of a revised estimate of the cost savings. Originally, the FAA said that outsourcing FSS functions would save the taxpayers some $2.2 billion over the life of the contract. Because of some unanticipated transition costs, the FAA now pegs the savings at $1.7 billion over 10 years. In February 2005, the FAA awarded an initial five-year contract to Lockheed Martin with an option for a five-year extension. The company will be consolidating 58 flight service stations — excluding three in Alaska — into 20 facilities. The move toward outsourcing was triggered by escalating costs associated with the old FSS system, the FAA's inability to effectively modernize the FSS computer system, and widespread inefficiencies. Updated: May 18, 2006, 1:03 p.m. EDT On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 19:14:53 GMT, Larry Dighera wrote in : On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 01:56:45 GMT, john smith wrote in :: Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? It looks like LocMart is not able to meet it's cost savings estimates nor its schedule: ------------------------------------------------------------------- AVwebFlash Volume 12, Number 16a -- April 17, 2006 ------------------------------------------------------------------- MODERNIZATION TAKES TIME (http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#192030) A massive effort to replace communications and data lines that stitch together the air traffic control system is (surprise, surprise) behind schedule and not achieving its financial goals, according to the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/us...1&oref=slogin). The contract to replace the system was issued in 2002, awarded to the Harris Corporation, was supposed to be completed by now, but the scheduled was extended in December, 2005. Marion C. Blakey, the administrator of the F.A.A., acknowledged in a recent interview that it would be "a climb" to stick to the revised schedule, which calls for completion in December 2007. And the initial estimate that the new system could save $800 million over 10 years has been revised, with savings now estimated at $600 million over 15 years. The Times story also says the program has caused three failures that resulted in flight delays. The failures have come from a variety of causes. On March 6, the system lost contact with a radar near Chicago, leading controllers to hold scores of planes on the ground. The problem was that a new line had failed and that the old one had been prematurely disconnected by the F.A.A., the agency acknowledged. However, Harris Corp., which won the contract to do the conversion, said in a news release (http://www.harris.com/view_pressrele...kup&pr_id=1832) last week that the work is on schedule and will reduce the FAA's costs. The program, called the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure, was awarded to Harris Corp. three years ago, and will replace all the lines linking 4,400 installations, including remote mountain radio and radar sites. It's supposed to be done by the end of the year but likely won't be finished until the end of 2007, according to the Times story. http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#192030 |
#10
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Experiences with the new LockMart FSS?
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#195671
In response to Terry Blumenthal's comment on the state of the FSS system (AVmail, Jun. 25), it sure does show that he doesn't use the system much. Since October 3, 2005, the FSS has been a private company competing for your business. A little-known, frequent government contractor called Lockheed-Martin continues to try to make it work. With employees queuing up to put in their two-weeks notice, and only newbie, full of P&V students coming on board, I don't see it getting any better. It takes years to season a briefing specialist with the anomalies of local terrain and local flyers. I won't go into the "smoke and mirrors" of the selection process, that is another story. I will comment on what I was told and have observed. I've been told the computer systems they use are not state-of-the art like Phil Boyer was exposed to, but a refit of an older airline-dispatch configuration. Sure, new flat-screen monitors, the fastest processors, etc. but there must be a reason the specialists are calling it FS-64 (Commodore?) Does it do the job? Not from what some of the folks at the Hubs are saying. Frequent crashes, two and three backup systems to supplement the data required to complete a full, legal, pilot weather briefing. Pages of workarounds and back-door solutions. Non-compatibility with ARTCC HOST computers (perhaps why so many flight plans are not getting to the ATCTs). I can go on but it is all old news now. I will say, however, Lockheed-Martin FSS specialists can (and have) been fired for poor performance. It is an "at will" position. No union (for now). The FAA pours fuel on the flames by performing daily "spot" checks on the briefings. A pilot weather brief can be failed in the eyes of the "secret shopper" evaluator if it turns out that the specialist recorded Joe Pilot in the name data of the flight plan form instead of Joe D. Pilot. As much as I despise this hostile, underhanded takeover by Lockheed-Martin, I feel for the former FAA FSS specialists. No longer are they able to provide quality, tailored, pilot weather and flight planning services the pilot deserves as they are being forced to literally cross all their 'T's and dot their 'I's. Now Congress is getting involved, stating in the Revitalization Act that the FAA is to provide all these new quality checks and safeguards. If the FAA reads the contract they awarded Lockheed-Martin, they will see they are already there. It's failing folks. As for the other options (Towers, Approach Control, etc.), stay tuned. Grant Thorton, Inc., has been visiting some ATCTs ... that is how it all started with FSS. They were "just doing a study." Former FSS Briefer On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 13:43:02 GMT, Larry Dighera wrote in : http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...0515audit.html Inspector general to audit FAA-Lockheed Martin flight service contract To ensure that general aviation pilots are being served properly, the Transportation Department's inspector general will be auditing the contract awarded by the FAA last year to have Lockheed Martin Corp. take over flight service station (FSS) functions. The contract is one of the largest nondefense-related outsourcing efforts in the federal government. The inspector general's office pointed out in a May 8 memo that it will be assessing whether the FAA has implemented effective plans and controls to transition FSS to contract operations and that operational needs of users continue to be met. The audit is planned to begin sometime this month. AOPA staff has already talked to officials from the inspector general's office to make sure they understand pilots' concerns and experiences with FSS operations. In the course of those conversations, AOPA has offered to survey its members — Lockheed's FSS customers — and report back to the inspector general's office in order to help them determine how well Lockheed is performing. "The FAA and Lockheed Martin must remain accountable to the users," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "This early look at the program and the associated plans for changes is important to ensure pilots' needs are met, which is why AOPA is working closely with the inspector general of the Department of Transportation." Lockheed Martin's flight services system is called "Flight Services 21" (FS21) and will be a fully integrated nationwide network that gives all flight service specialists and pilots access to flight plan information from a single, common database. AOPA had pushed hard for specific performance guarantees to improve safety and convenience for GA pilots. The FAA has limited experience with outsourcing, and the unusually large contract deals with important safety issues. Under federal law, agencies are subject to routine monitoring when they award contracts to the private sector. It is even more important that there be an independent examination of the contract because of a revised estimate of the cost savings. Originally, the FAA said that outsourcing FSS functions would save the taxpayers some $2.2 billion over the life of the contract. Because of some unanticipated transition costs, the FAA now pegs the savings at $1.7 billion over 10 years. In February 2005, the FAA awarded an initial five-year contract to Lockheed Martin with an option for a five-year extension. The company will be consolidating 58 flight service stations — excluding three in Alaska — into 20 facilities. The move toward outsourcing was triggered by escalating costs associated with the old FSS system, the FAA's inability to effectively modernize the FSS computer system, and widespread inefficiencies. Updated: May 18, 2006, 1:03 p.m. EDT On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 19:14:53 GMT, Larry Dighera wrote in : On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 01:56:45 GMT, john smith wrote in :: Anyone have any experiences with the new provider? It looks like LocMart is not able to meet it's cost savings estimates nor its schedule: ------------------------------------------------------------------- AVwebFlash Volume 12, Number 16a -- April 17, 2006 ------------------------------------------------------------------- MODERNIZATION TAKES TIME (http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#192030) A massive effort to replace communications and data lines that stitch together the air traffic control system is (surprise, surprise) behind schedule and not achieving its financial goals, according to the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/us...1&oref=slogin). The contract to replace the system was issued in 2002, awarded to the Harris Corporation, was supposed to be completed by now, but the scheduled was extended in December, 2005. Marion C. Blakey, the administrator of the F.A.A., acknowledged in a recent interview that it would be "a climb" to stick to the revised schedule, which calls for completion in December 2007. And the initial estimate that the new system could save $800 million over 10 years has been revised, with savings now estimated at $600 million over 15 years. The Times story also says the program has caused three failures that resulted in flight delays. The failures have come from a variety of causes. On March 6, the system lost contact with a radar near Chicago, leading controllers to hold scores of planes on the ground. The problem was that a new line had failed and that the old one had been prematurely disconnected by the F.A.A., the agency acknowledged. However, Harris Corp., which won the contract to do the conversion, said in a news release (http://www.harris.com/view_pressrele...kup&pr_id=1832) last week that the work is on schedule and will reduce the FAA's costs. The program, called the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure, was awarded to Harris Corp. three years ago, and will replace all the lines linking 4,400 installations, including remote mountain radio and radar sites. It's supposed to be done by the end of the year but likely won't be finished until the end of 2007, according to the Times story. http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#192030 |
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