Human Systems Integration Division @ NASA Ames

"The first step in nationalizing the Performance Data Analysis and Reporting System (PDARS) was accomplished by demonstrating its feasibility and value in six air traffic management facilities in the Western Pacific Region for the past two years. Preparations were completed to extend PDARS into the Southwest Region in the first quarter of 2002. PDARS provides decision-makers with a comprehensive, accurate, and insightful method for routinely monitoring the operational health, performance, and safety of the National Airspace System (NAS). It was designed to develop technologies to enable a change from the current reactive culture to a more proactive identification and alleviation of life-threatening aviation conditions and events while meeting the projected requirements of increasing air traffic. PDARS pursues this objective by establishing new capabilities for managers of Air Traffic Control (ATC) facilities to monitor ATC performance in the NAS (e.g., identifying and analyzing operational performance problems and designing and evaluating improvements). PDARS incorporates innovative technology for real-time collection and rapid processing of large volumes of complex data and state-of-the-art tools for extraction, presentation and visualization of information, including radar flight tracks. Data are accessed daily from all sites and processed overnight. Reports are delivered to each of the participating facilities each morning.

PDARS accomplished several key milestones in the process of developing a national system, including installation of networking capabilities for seven facilities in the FAA Southwest Region and negotiating an agreement with the FAA to further extend the network to the South and Northwest regions. "