Sec. 629. Upgrading and replacing aging air traffic systems
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/bill/118/hr/3935/eas/section-629A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter into an agreement with a qualified organization to conduct a study to assess the need for upgrades to or replacement of existing automated surface observation systems/automated weather observing systems (in this section referred to as ASOS/AWOS ) located in non-contiguous States. The study conducted under paragraph
(1)shall include an analysis of— the age of each ASOS/AWOS located in non-contiguous States; the number of days in the calendar year preceding the date on which the study is conducted that each such ASOS/AWOS was not able to accurately communicate or disseminate data for any period of time; impacts of extreme severe weather on ASOS/AWOS outages; the effective coverage of the existing ASOS/AWOS; detailed upgrade requirements for each existing ASOS/AWOS, including an assessment of whether replacement would be the most cost-effective recommendation; prior maintenance expenditures for each existing ASOS/AWOS; a description of all upgrades or replacements made by the FAA to ASOS/AWOS prior to the date of enactment of this Act; impacts of an outage or break in service in the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure on such ASOS/AWOS; and any other matter determined appropriate by the Administrator. Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a), and include in such report— a plan for executing upgrades to or replacements of existing ASOS/AWOS located in non-contiguous States; a plan for converting and upgrading such ASOS/AWOS communications to the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure; an assessment of the use of unmonitored navigational aids to allow for alternate airport planning for commercial and cargo aviation to limit ASOS/AWOS service disruptions; an evaluation of additional alternative methods of compliance for obtaining weather elements that would be as sufficient as current data received through ASOS/AWOS; and any other recommendation determined appropriate by the Administrator. To carry out the study under this section, the Administrator may use amounts made available pursuant to section 48101(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code.