Improving FAA Data Sharing: Lessons Learned from COMSTAC

1. Federal Aviation Administration Lessons Learned Discussion Presented to: COMSTAC By: Michael S. Kelly, Chief Engineer Date: 11 May 2012

2. Background • During October 2011 meeting, COMSTAC developed the following finding: “COMSTAC finds that it would be beneficial for the FAA to develop a process for disclosing to the industry pertinent data from reported safety critical anomalies, mishaps, incidents, and precursors where relevant to current and future operations. Such a process needs to protect proprietary data and comply with relevant export control policies whiles still fostering the continuous safety improvement of the industry” • Subsequently, the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics asked AST: “Do you have a model in mind for a system to exchange lessons learned data between government and industry?”

3. Existing Model - CSTLLS • AST Commercial Space Transportation Lessons Learned System (CSTLLS) is a web-based system for collecting and disseminating lessons learned • Features information provided by AST, and industry submittals • Contains links to other FAA, NASA lessons learned sites http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/programs/cstlls/

4. Issues with CSTLLS • Not well known or used • Site went live ca. August 2010, contains three entries (all from August 2010) • Information submittal from external sources not straightforward • Does not have self-contained submission form • Has no formal process for “sanitizing” lessons of proprietary information

5. Related Work • AST has an ongoing project for organizing anomalies, mishaps, incidents, and precursors data for the purpose of trend analysis • Have collected internal databases and surveyed external ones • Will combine these into one database, with metrics added to permit statistical analysis • Complete set of data fields identified (first iteration) • Database vehicle identified (STAR) • Definition of metrics still in work • With additional resources, some of this information could be transferred into the CSTLLS

6. Satisfying COMSTAC Finding • Define exactly what information the industry is looking for • Is CSTLLS on the right track in terms of what it conveys? • Is more quantitative, technical content desired? • Determine how to deal with proprietary considerations • How do we present technically useful information without violating proprietary restrictions? • Finalize implementation • Upgraded CSTLLS? • Some other implementation?

7. Observations • Proprietary question is the toughest one • Existence of a solution not guaranteed • Small size of industry is the main hurdle • This is not something AST can solve unilaterally • To move this ahead, a collaborative effort between AST and industry is needed • Open loop approach has not worked to date

8. Discussion