Certification of the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)

1. Certification of the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Dan Hanlon WAAS Program Manager

2. A New Paradigm • WAAS was the first navigation aid to be certified nationally • As such, many of FAA’s standard certification criteria had to be tailored to fit the program

3. Steps to Certification • FAA Administrator Directs Establishment of an Independent Review Board (IRB) • Role: Perform an Independent Assessment of the Need for a Satellite Based Augmentation System and to Independently Review the Technical Solution Proposed by the WIPP • Reported Findings to the Administrator • WAAS Program Office Establishes a WAAS Integrity Performance Panel (WIPP) • Role is to Establish Technical Approach and Solution for Meeting Integrity

4. Steps to Certification • WIPP Comprised of WAAS Experts……(FAA, Academia, Industry) • WIPP Meetings with Contractor Held Monthly to Review and Evaluate Contractor’s Progress • FAA Briefed Status of WIPP Activities to IRB who then Reported Back to Administrator

5. Role of the WAAS Integrity Performance Panel (WIPP) • Provided The Needed Expertise To Help Define The Actual Threats Or Threat Models That WAAS Would Have To Be Designed To Protect Against • WIPP Was Charged With Defining The Extent Of The Threats Including Their Description And Likelihood • WIPP Judged The Completeness Of A Monitor’s Design • WIPP Insured That The Threat Models Generated Fully Spanned All Feared Events

6. FAA Certification

7. Certification by Program Phase • System Development • System Owned by Contractor • Contractor Must Prove System Meets Safety Certification Criteria Prior to FAA Acceptance • Contractor Acceptance Inspection (CAI) • Program Office Formally Accepts Ownership of System • Operational and Security Certification Period Begins • Joint Acceptance Inspection (JAI) • Field Satisfied That System is Functioning and All Support Material Is in Place • Commissioning • Requires JRC In Service Decision • System Becomes Part of National Airspace System

8. Types of Certification • Safety Certification • Performed By the Product Team Prior to Acceptance From the Contractor • Design Assurance Process Used to Provide Sufficient Proof That The Integrity Requirements Are Achieved • Operational Certification • Performed by Airways Facilities • Validation that WAAS is Working Properly Within the NAS Infrastructure • Equipment is Functioning Within Limits • Operators and Maintainers Are Trained • Procedures Are in Place and Being Followed • Security Certification • Compliance With Security Requirements, Procedures & Training

9. WAAS Integrity Issue • WAAS Integrity Design Did Not Provide Proof of Compliance For Integrity Requirement • Traditional Testing Methods Showed That the Design “Did Not Fail” • Complete Definition of the Potential Threat Models Was Not Performed • Standards In Place At That Time Did Not Require This Level of Assurance • Integrity Monitoring Algorithms Were Not Designed To Support This Type Of Analysis • In Response • WAAS Program Office Formed WAAS Integrity Performance Panel (WIPP) • FAA Administrator Requested Independent Review Board (IRB) • WIPP Activities Were Integrated With System Engineering and Development Activities

10. Summary • Complex Architecture Requires Detailed Process and Documentation for Capturing and Assuring WAAS Safety • FAA efforts to involve many stakeholders was crucial in resolving the integrity risk • Future Changes to WAAS must undergo the same safety assessment activities to ensure continued system safety