Task force to identify improvements to air traffic controller conflict alert system

(a) In general Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall convene a task force (in this section referred to as the Task Force) to develop a framework detailing the priorities, goals, timeline, and recommendations to implement improvements to the conflict alert system to provide more salient and meaningful alerts to air traffic controllers based on the severity of the conflict triggering the alert. (b) Members The Task Force convened under subsection (a) shall be comprised of representatives of— (1) the exclusive bargaining representatives of air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code; (2) the organization representing air traffic control operational supervisors and managers; (3) the organization representing operators under the Contract Tower Program established under section 47124 of title 49, United States Code; (4) the certified bargaining representative of aviation safety inspectors and engineers for the FAA; (5) individuals with expertise in the human factors of alert design and related impacts on human performance; (6) individuals with expertise in an operational or academic discipline that is relevant to the analysis of human factors in aviation, which may include air carrier operations, line pilot expertise, air traffic control, linguistics, human-machine integration, general aviation operations, and organizational behavior and culture; (7) the FAA, including the Air Traffic Organization and the Office of Finance and Management, provided such representative has expertise on equipment procurement; and (8) other organizations or agencies as determined necessary by the Administrator. (c) Voting The members described in paragraphs (3), (6), and, in the case of a representative chosen by the Administrator that is from a governmental agency, (7) of subsection (b) shall be nonvoting members of the Task Force. (d) Duration (1) In general Members of the Task Force shall be appointed for the duration of the Task Force. (2) Length of existence (A) In general The Task Force shall have an initial duration of 1 year. (B) Optional extension The Administrator may extend the duration of the Task Force for an additional period of up to 6 months. (e) Considerations In developing the framework under subsection (a), the Task Force shall, at minimum, consider— (1) the benefits and detriments to air traffic controller situational awareness, including availability of information, nuisance and false alerts, and human factors; (2) opportunities and challenges of consolidating numerous systems and underlying data sources into a single display, including through the deployment of the Enterprise-Information Display System; (3) existing products by other working groups related to human factors in aviation safety; (4) air traffic controller training requirements; (5) advances in available technology not being utilized as of the date on which the Task Force is convened; (6) technological limitations; (7) National Transportation Safety Board recommendations pertaining to air traffic controller alerts, distractions, and loss of focus; (8) the effort of the FAA to modernize the air traffic control system, including timelines, new technologies being incorporated, and planned training; and (9) solicited feedback from equipment manufacturers and entities involved with the air traffic control modernization effort of the Administrator. (f) Report Not later than 4 months after the conclusion of the Task Force, the Task Force shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes the framework developed as a result of the activities carried out under subsection (a). (g) Implementation plan (1) In general Not later than 8 months after receiving the framework outlined in the report under subsection (f), the Administrator shall finalize and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a plan (in this section referred to as the Plan) to implement such framework. (2) Contents Such Plan shall include, as appropriate— (A) specific training requirements for air traffic controllers, as detailed in— (i) FAA Order JO 3120.4S, titled Air Traffic Technical Training, issued on August 28, 2024; (ii) FAA Order JO 7210.3EE, titled Facility Operation and Administration, issued on February 20, 2025; and (iii) any successor or other relevant documents or guidance; and (B) a publicly available prioritized list of airports enumerating the order in which they will receive such upgrades. (3) Time limit The Plan may not contain a timeline of implementation that exceeds 2 years. (h) Implementation The Administrator shall immediately begin implementing the Plan upon the submission of such Plan under subsection (g)(1) to the appropriate committees of Congress. (i) Briefings to Congress Not later than 6 months after the submission of the Plan to the appropriate committees of Congress under subsection (g)(1), and every 6 months thereafter until the full implementation of the Plan, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the progress of implementation.

(a) In general Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall convene a task force (in this section referred to as the Task Force) to develop a framework detailing the priorities, goals, timeline, and recommendations to implement improvements to the conflict alert system to provide more salient and meaningful alerts to air traffic controllers based on the severity of the conflict triggering the alert. (b) Members The Task Force convened under subsection (a) shall be comprised of representatives of— (1) the exclusive bargaining representatives of air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code; (2) the organization representing air traffic control operational supervisors and managers; (3) the organization representing operators under the Contract Tower Program established under section 47124 of title 49, United States Code; (4) the certified bargaining representative of aviation safety inspectors and engineers for the FAA; (5) individuals with expertise in the human factors of alert design and related impacts on human performance; (6) individuals with expertise in an operational or academic discipline that is relevant to the analysis of human factors in aviation, which may include air carrier operations, line pilot expertise, air traffic control, linguistics, human-machine integration, general aviation operations, and organizational behavior and culture; (7) the FAA, including the Air Traffic Organization and the Office of Finance and Management, provided such representative has expertise on equipment procurement; and (8) other organizations or agencies as determined necessary by the Administrator. (c) Voting The members described in paragraphs (3), (6), and, in the case of a representative chosen by the Administrator that is from a governmental agency, (7) of subsection (b) shall be nonvoting members of the Task Force. (d) Duration (1) In general Members of the Task Force shall be appointed for the duration of the Task Force. (2) Length of existence (A) In general The Task Force shall have an initial duration of 1 year. (B) Optional extension The Administrator may extend the duration of the Task Force for an additional period of up to 6 months. (e) Considerations In developing the framework under subsection (a), the Task Force shall, at minimum, consider— (1) the benefits and detriments to air traffic controller situational awareness, including availability of information, nuisance and false alerts, and human factors; (2) opportunities and challenges of consolidating numerous systems and underlying data sources into a single display, including through the deployment of the Enterprise-Information Display System; (3) existing products by other working groups related to human factors in aviation safety; (4) air traffic controller training requirements; (5) advances in available technology not being utilized as of the date on which the Task Force is convened; (6) technological limitations; (7) National Transportation Safety Board recommendations pertaining to air traffic controller alerts, distractions, and loss of focus; (8) the effort of the FAA to modernize the air traffic control system, including timelines, new technologies being incorporated, and planned training; and (9) solicited feedback from equipment manufacturers and entities involved with the air traffic control modernization effort of the Administrator. (f) Report Not later than 4 months after the conclusion of the Task Force, the Task Force shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes the framework developed as a result of the activities carried out under subsection (a). (g) Implementation plan (1) In general Not later than 8 months after receiving the framework outlined in the report under subsection (f), the Administrator shall finalize and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a plan (in this section referred to as the Plan) to implement such framework. (2) Contents Such Plan shall include, as appropriate— (A) specific training requirements for air traffic controllers, as detailed in— (i) FAA Order JO 3120.4S, titled Air Traffic Technical Training, issued on August 28, 2024; (ii) FAA Order JO 7210.3EE, titled Facility Operation and Administration, issued on February 20, 2025; and (iii) any successor or other relevant documents or guidance; and (B) a publicly available prioritized list of airports enumerating the order in which they will receive such upgrades. (3) Time limit The Plan may not contain a timeline of implementation that exceeds 2 years. (h) Implementation The Administrator shall immediately begin implementing the Plan upon the submission of such Plan under subsection (g)(1) to the appropriate committees of Congress. (i) Briefings to Congress Not later than 6 months after the submission of the Plan to the appropriate committees of Congress under subsection (g)(1), and every 6 months thereafter until the full implementation of the Plan, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the progress of implementation.