Time is one minute prior to entering the new millennium in our test systems.
That banter between an air traffic controller and the pilot of a Federal Aviation Administration plane on final approach to Denver International Airport was about the only unexpected occurrence here late Saturday night and early Sunday morning as the FAA completed the most extensive testing to date of its readiness for 2000 and the computer fixes it has devised to avoid malfunctions. It is what we expected. Our success will be gauged on the fact that nothing happens. Even some who have been critical of the FAA's Y2K readiness in the past were impressed by the agency's progress in meeting its June 30 target for full compliance and with the performance of its computer systems, including those tracking aircraft in flight, monitoring weather and even managing unstaffed radio beacons. Browne was confident enough to make that statement in a press release distributed before Saturday's test was complete and well before the FAA finishes a more thorough analysis of the data and announces the results Tuesday.