**GAO-08-258**                      Published: Jan 11, 2008. Publicly Released: Feb 26, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

The National Weather Service's (NWS) weather products are a vital component of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) air traffic control system. In addition to providing aviation weather products developed at its own facilities, NWS also provides staff on-site at each of FAA's en route centers. This group of NWS meteorologists--called a center weather service unit--provides air traffic managers with forecasts and briefings on regional conditions including turbulence, icing, and freezing precipitation. GAO agreed to (1) determine the status of NWS's plans for restructuring the offices that provide aviation weather services at FAA's en route centers, (2) identify FAA's requirements and its alternative sources for these services, and (3) evaluate both agencies' current abilities to ensure the consistency and quality of these services. To do so, GAO evaluated agency plans for restructuring offices, defining requirements, and ensuring quality products, and interviewed agency officials.

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## Topics

Transportation

Air traffic control systemsAircraft safetyAviationAviation securityCost effectiveness analysisEvaluation criteriaInteragency relationsPerformance measuresProduct evaluationReporting requirementsSafety standardsTransportation safetyWeatherWeather forecasting