There are a variety of essential activities that must take place in order to develop a safety-critical precision navigation system, such as GBAS. To address these activities, the GBAS program consists of several functional areas:

• GBAS Research and Development (R&D) – GBAS R&D currently focuses on Category II/III Specification Development.
• GBAS System Engineering (SE) – GBAS SE activities support the Category I GBAS Honeywell contract for the development of the provably safe prototype (PSP) at Memphis, and System Design Approval Process related to obtaining a CAT I Non-Federal Regulatory Approval. Specific tasks include:
  • Development of GBAS specifications
  • Coordination of GBAS siting issues
  • Consideration of safety issues
  • Review of contract execution for the PSP development
  • Conduct contractual flight evaluations and analyses
  • Conduct contract stability testing and analyses
• GBAS System Operational Implementation – This function helps to ensure that the overall GBAS concept is being properly implemented.
• GBAS System Security – The GBAS security function helps to ensure entities without proper authorization cannot utilize or compromise the GBAS.
• GBAS Contracts/Finance – The contracts/finance function manages the activities pertaining to CAT I development contract cost, schedule, and performance; and also reviews all deliverables.
• GBAS Business Management – This function supports and manages the GBAS budget process.

To ensure a smooth and successful transition of the GBAS into the FAA's other lines of business and into the National Airspace System, there are several other FAA organizations involved in the development, acquisition, and commissioning of the GBAS.

These other FAA organizations include:

• FAA NAS In-Service Management – These are FAA personnel who support the Deployment Planning Process, and Standard Operating Procedures.
• FAA Navigation Systems Engineering – These are the FAA personnel who provide policy oversight on system engineering functions, such as human factors, security, and configuration management.
• FAA National Airways Systems Engineering Division – These are the FAA personnel located at the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who support software and system design activities.
• FAA Aircraft Certification Service – These are FAA headquarter personnel who set requirements based on FAA certification criteria to ensure the GBAS is safe to use by aircraft operating in the National Airspace System. Support activities include requirements documentation, safety assurance, and RTCA and GNSSP support.
• FAA Flight Procedure Standards Branch – This group is responsible for developing rules, standards, policies, and criteria governing the operational aspects of en route, terminal, and instrument flight procedures (except air traffic control procedures), and also develops and establishes criteria for civil and military terminal instrument procedures.
• Aviation System Standards National Flight Procedures Office – This FAA group, located in Oklahoma City, performs instrument flight procedures development and maintenance functions.
• Air Traffic – This FAA group helps to ensure that FAA Air Traffic Services' operational needs are satisfied.
• William J. Hughes Technical Center – Supports GBAS system engineering activities and provides GBAS ground facility and GBAS avionics test support.